News Releases

Public policy barriers prevent far too many Alabamians from getting ahead. Our duty is to speak out against those barriers and identify solutions to give everyone an opportunity to reach their full potential. Check out our news releases and press statements about our research, organizing and advocacy for policies to make life better for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet.

News Releases

Alabama Arise unveils 2025 roadmap for change in Alabama

Expanding Medicaid and ending the state sales tax on groceries will remain top goals on Alabama Arise’s 2025 legislative agenda. The organization also will advocate for state funds to help public schools provide free breakfast to every student. More than 450 members voted in the last week to affirm Arise’s legislative priorities. The seven priorities [...]
Issues
Tax Reform, Voting Rights, Medicaid Expansion, Budgets, Criminal Justice, Health, Public Transportation, Safety Net
Date
October 9, 2024
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

Alabama Arise, Alabama Values launch Think Big Alabama advocacy training program

Alabama Arise and Alabama Values announce the launch of Think Big Alabama: Empowering Voices for Change, a four-part advocacy training program aimed at empowering underserved and underrepresented communities in Alabama. The program, running from July 13 to Aug. 24, will equip 20 participants with essential skills in media, public policy and grassroots organizing. BIPOC Alabamians [...]
Issue
Other
Date
June 3, 2024
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

Summer EBT funding is a big win for Alabama’s children

The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to appropriate $10 million for Summer EBT administrative funding from the 2025 Education Trust Fund budget. Alabama Arise hunger policy advocate LaTrell Clifford Wood released the following statement Tuesday in response: “Every child needs and deserves healthy meals throughout the year. That’s why Alabama [...]
Issues
Health, Safety Net, Economic Opportunity, Budgets
Date
April 30, 2024
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

230+ Alabama Arise supporters urge lawmakers to close state’s Medicaid coverage gap

[caption id="attachment_9424" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] More than 230 Alabamians gathered to show their support for Medicaid expansion during Arise Legislative Day on April 2, 2024, in Montgomery. (Photo by Julie Bennett)[/caption] Alabama should save lives, create jobs and boost workforce participation by closing the state’s Medicaid coverage gap, Alabama Arise members told lawmakers Tuesday. More than [...]
Issue
Medicaid Expansion
Date
April 5, 2024
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

Alabama Arise announces newly formed staff union

The staff, leadership and board of Alabama Arise are thrilled to announce the launch of Alabama Arise Workers United-Communications Workers of America (AAWU-CWA), the newly formed Arise staff union. AAWU-CWA is an affiliate of CWA Local 3908. “I am honored to be a part of an organization that allowed us to make our own choice [...]
Date
February 5, 2024
Author
Alabama Arise
News Releases

Alabama should improve wages, working conditions for autoworkers, new Alabama Arise report finds

Declining wages and pay gaps in Alabama’s auto manufacturing industry cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in labor income and economic growth each year, an Alabama Arise report released Thursday found. Racial, gender and geographic pay disparities also persist even though Alabama automakers have received more than $1.6 billion in public incentives since [...]
Issue
Economic Opportunity
Date
November 30, 2023
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

Alabama Arise unveils 2024 roadmap for change in Alabama

Expanding Medicaid and ending the state sales tax on groceries will remain top goals on Alabama Arise’s 2024 legislative agenda. The group also will pursue a multifaceted approach to improving maternal and infant health in Alabama. More than 500 members voted to determine Arise’s legislative priorities in recent days after the organization’s annual meeting Saturday. [...]
Issues
Tax Reform, Voting Rights, Medicaid Expansion, Budgets, Criminal Justice, Health, Public Transportation
Date
October 5, 2023
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

New report: Medicaid expansion would improve maternal health in Alabama

Medicaid expansion would improve women’s health and expand access to maternal health care across Alabama, a new Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) report found. Expansion also would help reduce racial disparities, improve infants’ health and strengthen rural health care access, the report found. Nearly one in six Alabama women (15.9%) of reproductive [...]
Issues
Health, Medicaid Expansion
Date
June 26, 2023
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

Grocery tax reduction bill’s passage is a win for every Alabamian

The Alabama Senate voted 31-0 Thursday to pass HB 479, a bill to reduce the state sales tax on groceries beginning Sept. 1. The bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden released the following statement Thursday in response: “Reducing the state sales tax on groceries will provide meaningful help [...]
Issue
Tax Reform
Date
June 1, 2023
Author
Chris Sanders
News Releases

This is the moment: It’s time for Alabama to untax groceries

Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, filed legislation Thursday to reduce Alabama’s state sales tax on groceries. Jones’ SB 257 is co-sponsored by all 35 state senators. Alabama Arise executive director Robyn Hyden released the following statement Friday in response: “Alabama Arise is thrilled to see widespread, bipartisan support from every senator for reducing the state sales [...]
Issues
Tax Reform, Budgets
Date
April 28, 2023
Author
Chris Sanders