Alabama
Alabama Policy Institute: Top 10 things the Legislature should accomplish in 2024 – Yellowhammer News
The Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature is upon us. Though the only statutory requirement of our state legislature is to pass balanced budgets, there will be literally hundreds of bills considered and debated as our elected leadership moves through the session.
It’s difficult for even the most seasoned legislator to remain focused on specific priorities, but I’d like to suggest ten things that Alabama legislators should seek to accomplish for those they represent in 2024.
1. Unleash Educational Freedom
School Choice initiatives increase the ability of parents to have true freedom to choose among many options for the education of their children. Charter schools, magnet schools, and tax-credit scholarship programs are all good; universal school choice is better. Education savings accounts would allow parents to choose what is best for each of their children annually. Also, consider legislation directing transparency in education so that parents know what their children are being taught in Alabama public schools.
2. Reform Occupational Licensing
Occupational licensing imposes costs and onerous regulations and documentation without substantial societal benefit. Repealing the licensing of certain occupations is warranted. Substantial reforms are also needed to create a higher burden of proof for continuing governmental regulations and red tape for licensed occupations.
3. Resist any expansion of gambling
Reject the legalization or expansion of casino style gambling in Alabama. Legislation that would establish a state-run lottery in Alabama and/or create sports betting or legalize digital gambling is a bad idea. Gambling expands state bureaucracy, is regressive in nature, hurts the most vulnerable, invites corruption, and is a fiscal net negative.
4. Eliminate Alabama’s Certificate of Need process and increase medical transparency
The CON process unjustly stifles competition, creates a false shortage of hospital beds, and prevents both transparency and cost savings for citizens/patients in Alabama. Alabama should stop picking winners and losers in healthcare and return to a free-market model.
5. Resist the urge to expand Medicaid
Despite what some proponents say, the state general fund would be negatively impacted by an expansion of services. In addition, increasing dependence on federal government and the negative ramifications on labor participation rates are reasons to reject expansion. Legislators should consider insurance exchanges or other reform measures and enact innovative ideas regarding the expansion of rural healthcare instead.
6. Curb governmental emergency power provisions and return accountability to the people
Alabamians deserve protection from medical discrimination and vote to allow the legislature to intervene during long-term states of emergency. In addition, the legislature should have the ability to call itself into special session, and the State Health Officer should be accountable to the people of the state.
7. Election Integrity
Alabama citizen’s right to vote in a free and fair election is a basic civil right. Protecting the integrity of elections is the basis of defending many other rights that the citizens of this state and all Americans depend on. The legislature should enact legislation that will protect the integrity of our elections. The preparation of elections should be professional, impartial, and transparent at all levels. The legitimacy of government is dependent on public confidence in electoral and political processes.
8. Cap Property Tax
While Alabama’s state property tax rates are low, county, and municipal rates vary widely across the state, leaving some citizens to be impacted by increases in property valuations much more than others. Lawmakers should consider implementing an assessment cap to make property tax increases more predictable and lessen the tax burden of Alabama’s homeowners.
9. Women’s Bill of Rights
The state of Alabama has a compelling interest to prevent unjust discrimination and maintain safety, privacy, and fairness for both sexes. The codification of the definition of men, women, girls, and boys is necessary to protect female spaces, allow girls and women to flourish, and affirm the truth.
10. Protect Kids from Harm
There is no shortage of reasons to help protect our kids from intentional indoctrination or exposure to age-inappropriate information. Prohibiting sexually explicit performances in public, protecting minors from explicit library material, ending DEI programs in state agencies and higher education, and internet protection of minors are all worthy and necessary goals.
These ten things aren’t the only topics that the Alabama Legislature should tackle this year, but if our leaders have a sincere desire to represent their constituents, this list would be a very good start. The Alabama Policy Institute is celebrating our 35th year of fighting for good public policy solutions throughout the state of Alabama. API is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational and research organization committed to free markets, limited government, and strong families.
The Alabama Policy Institute is a nonpartisan education and research organization committed to free markets, limited government, and strong families.
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Alabama
Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament welcomes Auburn, Alabama players as guest hosts
PRATTVILLE, Ala. (WSFA) – One of the most anticipated golf tournaments of the year happens Monday — the 29th annual Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament.
This year’s guest hosts are both placekickers — former Alabama kicker Michael Proctor and current Auburn kicker Alex McPherson.
Proctor, a Pelham High graduate, came to the Crimson Tide in 1992, a year after Turner was drafted by the Patriots. But he still remembers the Prattville native’s infectious personality that resonated with teammates. “I had heard about the tournament through the years,” Proctor said. “It’s a big deal. Kevin is a big deal. When he was playing here, and even after his unfortunate passing, he’s well remembered and respected. Anything I can do to help anything in his name, I would be willing to do. I met him when I was there. He came back, obviously knowing people on the team that he had played with. Anything I can do for his name … I’m sure anybody at Alabama or anybody that knew him would be willing to do anything for him because he would do the same for you.”
McPherson, a Fort Payne High graduate, came to Auburn in 2022, weathered an inflammatory bowel disease that sidelined him in 2024, and is now preparing for his fifth year as the Tigers’ kicker. And even though he never knew Turner personally, he’s looking forward to the tournament.
“I’m honored,” McPherson said. “I heard what the tournament was about, Kevin and his story. I heard that one of the former Alabama kickers was going to be in the tournament and that they would love to have a kicker from Auburn. They thought that I would be a great fit.”
Proctor was recruited as one of the nation’s top prep kickers and went through a high school and collegiate career where he made 184 of 185 extra points. He kicked a then-record 60-yard field goal at Pelham and nine of his 26 field goals were longer than 50 yards. He finished a four-year career as the Crimson Tide’s second leading scorer with 326 points, earning All-American honors in 1993 and 1994 after winning a national championship in 1992 and returning as the Southeastern Conference’s top kicker a year later.
McPherson was recruited as one of the nation’s top kickers and kicked a record 61-yard field goal in high school before joining the Tigers. Like Proctor, his breakout year came as a sophomore (in 2023) where he made 13 of 13 field goal attempts and 40 of 40 extra point attempts in becoming a Lou Groza Award semifinalist.
Turner went through a five-year battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which was triggered by CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a disease that hits home with many collegiate players from that era who witnessed it first with Turner and more recently with former Tide running back Kerry Goode.
The tournament helps fund the “Coach A Child Scholarship Fund Campaign” which provides financial aid to make YMCA services available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
The Prattville YMCA has provided financial aid to more than 3,300 people, many of them children, at a cost of more than $400,000. This year, the goal is to raise $285,000 for the Coach A Child Fund Campaign.
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Alabama
Alabama softball No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament: Who does Tide play?
Alabama softball is the cream of the crop heading into the 2026 NCAA softball tournament, cemented as the No. 1 overall seed for the first time in 16 years.
The Crimson Tide’s ranking means it will host a regional and, if it advances, a super regional. The regional field will consist of USC Upstate (36-21), Belmont (40-11) and SE Louisiana (46-14).
The Tuscaloosa Regional is double-elimination. Action will run through May 15-17 on SEC Network.
It marks the 27th straight NCAA Tournament appearance for Alabama and the 21st-straight season it is hosting a regional at Rhoads Stadium, not including the canceled 2020 season. The Crimson Tide has advanced to the Women’s College World Series 15 times and is looking to do so for the first time in two years.
Alabama has one national championship, which came in 2012.
Alabama is coming off a championship game loss in the SEC Tournament. Seven unanswered runs led to a 7-1 fall to Texas, securing the Longhorns their first SEC Softball Tournament title during their second year in the conference on Saturday, May 9.
Friday, May 15
- Game 1: Alabama vs. USC Upstate, noon CT
- Game 2: Belmont vs. SE Louisiana, 2:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 16
- Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, TBD
- Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, TBD
- Game 5: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser, TBD
Sunday, May 17
- Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, TBD
- Game 7: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary), TBD
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.
Alabama
Alabama mom sentenced to life for hiring hitman to kill her child’s father over custody dispute
An Alabama woman was sentenced to life in prison Friday after authorities said she hired a hitman to kill her child’s father in a custody dispute.
Jaclyn Skuce, 43, of Madison, was convicted of capital murder after hiring a man to kill the child’s father in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation, the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office said.
The Hartselle Police Department was dispatched on July 24, 2020, to a residence for a welfare check after Anthony Larry Sheppard failed to appear in court for a scheduled custody hearing.
His attorney had asked officers to check on him, investigators said.
Upon arrival, police discovered Sheppard’s storm door shattered and the main door ajar.
Officers later found Sheppard dead with multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators determined that Skuce hired Logan Delp to kill Sheppard in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation with his child.
Prosecutors said Skuce used social media to hire the hitman, who lived in Hartselle, according to the Hartselle Enquirer. She allegedly offered to pay $30,000.
“There are never any winners in a case like this,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery said following the verdict.
“This jury was incredibly thorough and took their time to make sure they made the right decision, both for Mr. Sheppard and for the defendant.”
Vickery added, “We are glad that they convicted her for the choice she made to take Mr. Sheppard away from his family.”
Skuce was found guilty of three counts of capital murder: murder for hire, murder of a witness, and murder committed by shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Four other defendants have been charged with capital murder in connection with Sheppard’s death.
Delp was convicted of capital murder in October 2025, the DA’s office said. Another defendant has pleaded guilty, and two others are awaiting trial.
Skuce will be imprisoned without the possibility of parole in the Alabama Department of Corrections.
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