MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – After more than four years at the helm of the Alabama Department of Corrections, Commissioner John Hamm is officially retiring, Governor Kay Ivey announced Tuesday.

Hamm, who served in law enforcement for more than 35 years, came to the post in January 2022. During his tenure, state officials point to a range of developments within the corrections system, including progress on the construction of two new men’s prisons, increased recruitment and retention of corrections officers, and enforcement of stricter conduct policies for staff and inmates.

“It has been the honor of my serve to serve in Governor Ivey’s Administration, and I thank her for giving me that opportunity and empowering me to lead the Department of Corrections forward,” Hamm said. “Governor Ivey’s unwavering support for the Department has been outstanding. When I started at Corrections in 2022, Governor Ivey gave me the charge of making the Department better and with her support, as well as the support of her staff and the hardworking men and women of ADOC, we have accomplished that.”

In a statement, Ivey credited Hamm with helping advance improvements within the department, while noting that ongoing efforts remain. She also announced her appointment of corrections and law enforcement veteran Greg Lovelace as Hamm’s replacement.

She said Lovelace’s experience in corrections and law enforcement positions him to continue that work through the remainder of her term.

Lovelace brings more than 3 decades of corrections experience to the position. During his tenure within the Department of Corrections, he oversaw maintenance and construction projects while management all prisons within the system.

The Governor called him a “true public servant” who is “once again answering the call to lend his leadership to the state.”

Lovelace will begin his tenure on May 1.

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Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright on lowering energy costs for Alabama families during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing reviewing the Department of Energy’s fiscal year 2027 budget request.

Britt opened her questioning by focusing on data center development and its impact on residential ratepayers.

“We have to keep that compute power advantage. That is critically important,” Britt said. “But in the larger conversation, we want to make sure that that advantage and the cost of that doesn’t actually fall on family’s power bills. Between 2021 and 2025, we saw residential power bills go up in this nation over 40%. It’s totally unacceptable.”

She noted that wholesale electricity prices in data center heavy regions surged over 250% during the same period, and credited the Trump Administration’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge and Energy Dominance Financing announcement with freezing rates in Alabama and Georgia.

“But ultimately, we’ve got to figure out how do we drill down and how do we actually lower rates, not just freeze them?” Britt said. “I want to see lower rates in Alabama.”

Wright outlined steps the department is taking to bring costs down.

“We worked with you and the Senate and the House to finally end the 34 years of wind subsidies and solar subsidies,” Wright said. “We’re focusing on, in the short term, how can we get more out of our existing grid? We’re upgrading hydro facilities. We’re upgrading natural gas facilities. We’ve restarted a nuclear power plant, which will have a ribbon cutting on very soon.”

Britt also raised grid cybersecurity and workforce development, citing work underway at Auburn University through SERC-3, and asked Wright to dedicate budget resources to grid security workforce needs. Wright confirmed the department’s commitment.

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].

Balancing a career and raising a family is no small task, and where you live can make a big difference in how manageable that balance feels.

For working mothers in Alabama, achieving this balance may be especially challenging. In a recent analysis by WalletHub, Alabama ranked 50th out of 51 (including Washington, D.C.) for working moms.

From childcare costs to workplace advancement, working mothers across Alabama face challenges that contribute to the state’s low national ranking.

Here’s how Alabama ranks in WalletHub’s analysis.

Working moms in Alabama are struggling

Alabama ranked 50th out of 51 states, with an overall score of 27.29 out of 100, based on assessments across several key categories affecting working mothers. 

• Childcare systems: 47th nationally.
• Professional opportunities: 49th.
• Female executive representation: 49th.
• Work-life balance: 43rd.

The state also performed poorly in the quality and availability of the daycare system, according to the report.

These rankings mirror the daily realities for many working mothers in Alabama, who weigh affordability, career growth and family care.

Limited access to high-quality childcare can make full-time employment more difficult, while fewer women in leadership roles may signal narrower career advancement paths. These challenges are especially significant for households balancing rising living costs with child-rearing responsibilities.