Alabama
Alabama Senate approves bill providing due process for public school students • Alabama Reflector
The Alabama Senate Thursday approved legislation creating a uniform suspension and expulsion process for public K-12 students.
HB 188, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, extends due process to children in the school disciplinary system. The bill passed 32-0.
“They are the only body that did not have due process,” said Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, after the Senate adjourned. “You and I are grown people. We have due process all the way through the legal system.”
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Smitherman said that some places had their own due process, but this creates an “equalizing baseline system.”
The Senate was originally supposed to take up Smitherman’s version of the bill, but he said that Collins’ bill reflects the concerns of interested parties.
Smitherman filed a version of the bill last year, but it failed on the Senate floor. Collins also filed a version of the bill last year, but representatives and speakers at a public hearing shared concerns about demographics and anonymity.
The bill was altered throughout the 2024 session.
“We finally got there,” said Smitherman after the Senate adjourned. “It’s just sometimes it takes a while. You know how the cake sometimes don’t want to rise up? But we were able to put enough yeast in this cake, to get it up to where it was supposed to be. And now I think it’s going to be something that people are going to enjoy all around the board.”
Under the legislation, the principal or the principal’s designee would be able to consider the age of the student, disciplinary history of the student, seriousness of violation or behavior or whether a lesser intervention would suffice in considering punishment. .
Before a recommendation for long-term alternative school placement, long-term suspension or expulsion, a local board would need to provide a disciplinary hearing. The disciplinary hearing would be held within ten days after the initial suspension, if the parent or guardian responds, unless there is good cause or agreement between the parties.
The student could be represented by legal counsel or another advocate of the student’s choice at the student’s expense. The student, representative and parent or guardian would be able to review any evidence five days prior to the hearing. Representatives of the school will present evidence at the hearing.
The student, parent/ guardian or representation may present a defense, question present adverse witnesses offering testimony, offer testimony from witnesses (excluding students under 14), offer written statements and present other documentary, audio or video evidence. Witness anonymity is protected, and witnesses cannot be compelled to testify.
The legislation also requires a “reasonable written notice” to the student and parent or guardian with a statement of a time, place and nature of the hearing, as well as a short statement outlining the alleged violation, with the provision of state law or student conduct violated and recommended disciplinary action.
It would also need to include a statement outlining the rights of the student at the hearing and an optional hearing waiver indicating that the parent or guardian assents to the alleged violation and any recommended action. If a parent or guardian did not respond to the notice, the hearing would be waived.
The local board of education will provide an electronic or written record of the hearing to each party in the hearing, upon request.
The student and his or her parent or guardian would be notified of the decision within five days of the hearing with a written record and instructions on the appeal process.
The bill passed with little discussion on Thursday with only Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia, asking about language for “per incident.”
Jerome Dees, Alabama policy director of the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, said in a statement Thursday that the law was an acknowledgment that student rights “do not stop at the school door.”
“While there is still more work to be done to address the “school-to-prison” pipeline in Alabama, especially for Black and Brown students, this is a major step in the right direction,” Dees wrote.
The bill will go back to the House of Representatives for concurrence in Senate changes or a conference committee.
Joseph Ionata, who spent two years with the Tide, will be joining former teammate Jaylen Mbakwe.
Georgia Tech fans celebrate during the second half against Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2025)
A second former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide is transferring to Georgia Tech.
Offensive lineman Joseph Ionata intends to play for the Yellow Jackets, according to On3. Ionata spent two years with the Tide and would be joining former Alabama defensive back and wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.
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Chad Bishop is a Georgia Tech sports reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Alabama Farmers Federation has endorsed Kristin Nelson in the upcoming special election for Alabama House District 38, a seat left vacant following the resignation of Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley). The district includes portions of Chambers and Lee counties.
Nelson recently secured the Republican nomination after winning a runoff election. The special general election is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.
“Kristin Nelson is a well-respected community leader in Chambers County, and we are proud to endorse her,” said Jason McKay, president of the Chambers County Farmers Federation. “We know she will represent us well in Montgomery and ensure District 38 gets the attention it needs in the business and agricultural arenas.”
Support for Nelson’s candidacy also came from farmers in neighboring Lee County. “Kristin Nelson is a strong conservative with incredible knowledge of House District 38,” said Robert Walters, president of the Lee County Farmers Federation. “There is no doubt she will work hard and represent the people of Lee and Chambers counties well in the Legislature.”
Nelson grew up along the Chambers-Lee county line and brings experience from both the public and private sectors. Her background includes seven years in city administration with the City of Valley and three years as a third-grade teacher with Lanett City Schools.
She has also been active in homeschooling through Classical Conversations, where she has served as both a tutor and a local representative supporting other families.
In addition to returning to part-time work with Harris Gray LLC, Nelson serves as worship leader at Fairfax Methodist Church, secretary of the Junior Variety Club and president of the EAMC Lanier Auxiliary Board.
She also founded the Chambers County Young Republicans and currently serves as the chair of the Chambers County Republican Party.
“The farmers of this district and I share the same strong work ethic and conservative values,” said Nelson. “It is an honor to have their support and to be able to represent them and all the people of this district in Montgomery.”
Nelson and her husband, Jeff, live in the Huguley community with their two teenage sons.
The Alabama Farmers Federation is the state’s largest farm organization, representing more than 360,000 member families. The organization uses a grassroots endorsement process that relies on decisions made by county Farmers Federation boards of directors in local elections.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
HOOVER, Ala. (WSFA) – Senator Tommy Tuberville officially filed the paperwork to run for governor at the Alabama Republican Party Headquarters in Hoover Monday morning.
“I want to make the lives of the people of this state better,” said Sen. Tuberville. “If I thought that staying in the U.S. Senate would be best for Alabama, I would’ve stayed. but I think the best thing for Alabama is for me to come back.”
He talked about the need to grow Alabama’s economy, with attracting manufacturers being a primary focus. Sen. Tuberville said that to do that, he would focus on improving the state’s infrastructure and making the state’s education and workforce systems more attractive to new residents.
When asked about cutting waste, fraud and abuse, a focus of his time in Washington, D.C., alongside President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Sen. Tuberville said, he expects to make changes if elected governor.
“You have a lot of different agencies here, we want to make them all better,” he said. “We also want to make sure that we save the taxpayers’ money, that we use it wisely and we give it back to them.”
The former Auburn football coach said he did not expect to go into politics, but now, he is ready to transition from national to state politics.
“It’s time to come home, put together a staff and worry about the state of Alabama and the people here,” he said.
According to Alabama’s constitution, someone running for governor has to have lived in the state for at least seven years. Some have questioned whether Sen. Tuberville fits that requirement. He said during the candidacy filing that the Republican Party of Alabama says he does fulfill the requirement.
The filing deadline for candidates to qualify for a major political party is Jan. 23.
Alabama’s Democratic primary has the following candidates:
- Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones
- Dr. Will Boyd – businessman and engineer
- JaMel Brown – pastor and talk show host
- Chad ‘Chig’ Martin – businessowner
Alabama’s Republican Primary has the following candidates:
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville
- Ken McFeeters – former congressional candidate
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