On Thursday, the Alabama Senate passed HJR51, a joint resolution establishing a Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence and Children’s Internet Safety.

The resolution, sponsored by State Rep. Robbins (R-Sylacauga) and a group of co-sponsors, creates a commission tasked with studying the effects of AI, social media, and internet access on children, investigating how other states are addressing the issue, and developing recommendations for future Alabama legislation.

The commission would include three Senators, three House members, a representative of the Attorney General’s office, and appointees from the Department of Mental Health, Voices for Alabama’s Children, the Alabama Cable and Broadband Association, and TechNet.

The commission must hold its first meeting by May 1 and deliver a report with findings and legislative recommendations to the Legislature by November 1, 2026, after which it would dissolve.

The resolution also directs the commission to coordinate with Alabama’s congressional delegation and the U.S. Department of Justice where practicable.

At the federal level, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) has made children’s online safety a priority, introducing the Kids Off Social Media Act and the Stop the Scroll Act as part of a broader push to address the threats social media and AI pose to children.

Thursday was day 12th of the 2026 legislative session.

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

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the hunt for a quarterback of the future.

After another year of a bridge quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, the Steeler shave another decision to make when it comes to the team’s passer.

One such option is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who has seen a big jump in attention since Dante Moore opted out of this year’s draft. Simpson has been a controversial prospect, with analysts either a big fan or extremely wary. Now, Sam Monson of The 33rd Team spoke on his Check The Mic podcast about why teams would be making a big mistake by selecting Simpson.

“Not only does he only have 15 starts under his belt, but the direction of travel is downwards,” Monson said. “Everything about him screams giant red flag. But if you’re QB2 in the draft, do you just have to take that guy high? I think I would be in the category of ‘I’m letting someone else make that mistake’ type of pick.”

How This Affects The Steelers

With team’s panicking at the position, the Steelers could be one of the teams that looks at Simpson earlier than Monson believes is responsible of them.

The Steelers have been linked to Simpson multiple times as it seems that the Steelers No. 21 selection could lend itself to both Simpson being available and the Steelers being a sufficient landing spot. He presents himself as the most realistic option if the Steelers opt to take a quarterback in the draft.

Noah Strackbein of On SI posted that the Steelers may be interested in Simpson at quarterback when he declared, but made it clear that he would be a project. In that case, they would likely have to keep Rodgers around as a mentor who can develop the young quarterback.

That sort of experiment was successful with Rodgers when it came to Jordan Love, but Love was certainly a better-looking prospect than Simpson when he came out of college and entered the NFL Draft space.

Drafting Simpson could also lend itself to a quarterback competition between himself and 2025 sixth-round selection Will Howard if Rodgers is not returning to the team.

The best option as it stands looks to be keeping Rodgers around, as the Steelers know what they are getting out of a player like him due to his previous tenure with the Steelers. The prior connection between Rodgers and new head coach Mike McCarthy certainly helps his case.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments, reviving a measure that has failed to reach a floor vote in previous sessions.

SB99, sponsored by State Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston), would require each local board of education to display the Ten Commandments and a historical context statement in each history classroom serving students in fifth through 12th grade, and in a common area of each school serving students in fifth grade or above.

The bill would not require schools to use their own funds for the displays. Instead, boards could accept donated displays or donated funds, and the State Department of Education would be required to identify and publicize free resources for compliance.

Kelley said the displays would also include excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Alabama Constitution’s preamble, along with a disclaimer that Alabama is not establishing a religion.

“It’s not a religious document. It’s a historical founding document that builds on how our culture, how our law, and how our nation was formed through a historical standpoint,” Kelley said during the committee meeting. “There’s a lot of misconceptions out there and our rule of law is basically built on the Ten Commandments. We’ve got a history that’s undeniable that comes from these basic facts.”

Kelley first introduced the measure during the 2025 session as SB166, with State Rep. Mark Gidley (R-Hokes Bluff) carrying the House companion, HB178. Both bills cleared their respective committees and the House passed its version, but the Senate never brought the bill to a floor vote before the session ended.

The 2026 version narrows the scope from the prior bill, which applied to all K-12 schools and initially included public colleges and universities. SB99 limits the mandate to fifth through 12th grade and targets history classrooms rather than all common areas.

SB99 now heads to the full Senate for approval.

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