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Felons affected by new Alabama law disqualifying them from voting can cast ballots this year, judge orders

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Felons affected by new Alabama law disqualifying them from voting can cast ballots this year, judge orders


Felons disqualified from voting under a new Alabama law will be able to cast ballots in the upcoming election, a Montgomery judge ordered Wednesday, clearing up confusion that prompted two men affected by the law to file a lawsuit.

HB100 was introduced this year by state Rep. Adline Clark, D-Mobile and was intended to prevent people convicted of crimes against election workers and other election officials from voting in future elections.

But in order to gain Republican support to pass Clark’s bill, four categories of felonies for “inchoate” crimes, such as attempted crimes and conspiracies, were added to the legislation.

Two men convicted of attempted murder — Robert Crowley, a U.S. Army veteran, and volunteer with the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Mid-South chapter representative, and JaiGregory Clarke, a community organizer in Jefferson County — filed a lawsuit last month asking that the new law not be enforced until after the Nov. 5 election.

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Voters in 2022 overwhelmingly adopted a constitutional amendment that says laws affecting elections cannot change within six months of an election. But HB100 included an implementation date of Oct. 1, which is less than 35 days before the Nov. 5 election.

The Campaign Legal Center, which along with Montgomery attorney J. Mitch McGuire represented Crowley and Clarke, said the pair’s lawsuit applied pressure on Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who indicated in court filings Friday that the new law would not be enforced until Nov. 6.

In light of Marshall’s filing, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge James H. Anderson on Wednesday dismissed the lawsuit since Crowley, Clarke “and all other similarly situated Alabamians are not disqualified from registering or voting by virtue of the challenged law and have the right to register to vote through the Nov. 5, 2024 general election.”

“Our democracy is by the people and for the people, so every person’s voice must be heard. Today, democracy prevailed,” said Ellen Boettcher, legal counsel for CLC, in a statement. “The state must now ensure that Alabama officials heed the judge’s order to avoid unnecessary confusion at the ballot box and ensure that all eligible Alabamians can exercise their freedom to vote this November.”

While Crowley and Clarke’s lawsuit was centered around the timing of the implementation of the new law, the merits of HB100 have not been decided.

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It was not immediately clear whether Crowley and Clarke or other felons affected by the legislation will be challenging its constitutionality.

“Right now, we’re laser focused on making sure voters can participate in the 2024 election,” said Boettcher. “This order means Alabamians will be able to make their voice heard in November without fear or confusion and we consider that a huge victory.”

Alabama has a long history of disenfranchising voters for crimes of moral turpitude, going back to the Alabama Constitution of 1901, which was intended to keep Black people and poor whites from voting. The law applied to both misdemeanors and felonies. There was no definition for moral turpitude. That gave county boards of registrars, political appointees, discretion over which people convicted of crimes could be disqualified from voting.

In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Alabama’s disenfranchisement of voters for misdemeanors. Alabama voters approved a new constitutional amendment in 1996 disqualifying voters who committed felonies involving moral turpitude, but still without a definition for the term.

In 2017, after a federal lawsuit known as Thompson v. Alabama, the Legislature finally defined crimes of moral turpitude by passing the Felony Voter Disqualification Act. It listed more than 40 crimes, including murder, robbery, rape, assault, sexual abuse, and other violent crimes, as well as some nonviolent crimes such as burglary and forgery.

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Many felons who lose their voting rights and who have completed their sentences, paid all fines, court costs, and restitution, and who do not have a pending felony charge, can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote, or CERV. Those convicted of about 15 crimes, including murder, rape, sexual abuse, and treason, are not eligible to receive a CERV.



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Top-30 overall recruit Jaxon Richardson commits to Alabama

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Top-30 overall recruit Jaxon Richardson commits to Alabama


Jaxon Richardson, the No. 27 overall recruit in the 2026 class per the Rivals Industry Ranking, has committed to Alabama.

The 6-foot-6 four-star small forward out of Southeastern Prep (FL) ultimately chose the Crimson Tide over USC, Creighton, and Ole Miss. He also received offers from Miami, Cincinnati, Michigan, Florida, Villanova, and others.

Richardson, a McDonald’s All-American, becomes the Crimson Tide’s third commitment of the 2026 cycle. He joins four-star shooting guard Qayden Samuels (No. 28 NATL) and four-star small forward Tarris Bouie (No. 54 NATL).

He’s the son of NBA veteran and two-time NBA Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson. His older brother, Jase, played for Michigan State last season before being selected 25th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic.

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Rivals’ National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw says Richardson is one of the most explosive players in the 2026 class:

Jaxon Richardson is able to combine fluid athleticism with explosive burst in a way no other player in this class can. He uses his athleticism to his advantage on the floor. He fills the outside channels with a purpose in transition, he is aggressive in the passing lanes, and he plays as a vertical floor spacer in the dunker spots and lob plays. Last summer, playing with the Florida Rebels on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 12.8 points on 54.0 percent shooting and 10.5 attempts per game. Last high school season, he averaged 12.9 points on 61.0 percent shooting on 8.9 attempts per game. He is a highly efficient player, as 84.4 percent of his makes last high school season were at the rim.



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Alabama Baseball Ties Stolen Base Record In Win Over Hornets

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Alabama Baseball Ties Stolen Base Record In Win Over Hornets


Alabama baseball cruised to a win over Alabama State on Wednesday night, beating the Hornets 13-4 to complete the season sweep. The Crimson Tide tied a program record with nine stolen bases in one of the stranger contests that will be played this season.

The tone was set for a tumultuous night on the basepaths in the opening minutes of the game. Leadoff batter Bryce Fowler, who exited Tuesday’s game after getting beaned in the head, was walked, and promptly took second base. He advanced to third on a wild pitch in Justin Lebron’s at-bat, paving the way for Lebron to steal second when he was ultimately walked as well.

The successful baserunning instantly paid off, as Brady Neal drove both in with a double to left-center field before John Lemm walked two at-bats later. Both runners stole their respective bases on the same pitch in Jason Torres’ plate appearance, meaning that four of the first five batters of the game stole a base.

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Alabama has been exceptional on the basepaths, sitting at 30-for-30 on the season. Lebron, who swiped two bags on Wednesday, leads the team with 12. The junior had an up-and-down night, hitting his eighth home run of the season, but also committing an error at shortstop for the fourth consecutive game.

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“Get those things out of there now, baby. The dude is unbelievable,” an unconcerned Rob Vaughn said on Tuesday of Lebron’s errors. “We’re going to look up at the end of the year, and that guy is going to have five or six errors, which one he’s got right now, and we’ll be like, ‘Man, that guy is the best of all time to do it.’”

Wednesday’s game was a very prototypical midweek contest with no shortage of quirks and oddities throughout its nearly four-hour runtime. Fifteen Alabama batters were walked, falling just one shy of the program record, and the hit by pitch record was tied as seven batters were plunked.

The game was never competitive from an on-field standpoint. After barely escaping with a 2-1 win in the first matchup with the Hornets two weeks ago, this was a far more accurate representation of what these games typically look like, as Alabama now leads the all-time series 15-0.

Freshman Joe Chiarodo made his first career start, allowing two hits and one walk over two scoreless innings. He was named the winning pitcher. Luke Smyers, Connor Lehman, Anthony Pesci and Tate Robertson were the other pitchers to take the mound. Lehman allowed a three-run blast in the sixth inning, and those were the only runs until the incredibly-named Skywalker Mann drove in a run off Robertson in the ninth.

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Perhaps the most shocking figure from the game was that Alabama had 19 runners left on base. The Crimson Tide left the bases loaded in four different innings. As stated, this was just a bizarre baseball game across the board. With the midweeks out of the way, the Crimson Tide gets to prepare for its final weekend tune-up before SEC play as North Florida heads into Tuscaloosa on Friday.



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New Alabama law to set screen time limits for kids in day care, pre-K and kindergarten

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New Alabama law to set screen time limits for kids in day care, pre-K and kindergarten


The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act was signed on Wednesday, March 4, by Governor Kay Ivey to introduce limits on children’s screen time access in Alabama.

The Act is one of Ivey’s 2026 legislative priorities.

“Video screen access in classrooms can boost learning skills among our young children, but too much screen exposure can also be detrimental, harming critical social and cognitive development,” Ivey said. “The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act ensures our youngest students are provided a healthy balance of screen time and traditional learning in order to protect social and emotional development.”

Under the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act, the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education will be required to work with the Department of Human Resources and the State Department of Education to develop guidelines for screen-based media.

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Guidelines will be implemented in early childhood education programs like day care centers, day care homes, night care facilities, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and group day care homes. The Act was sponsored by Representative Jeana Ross and Senator Donnie Chesteen.

“House Bill 78 establishes clear, research-based expectations for how technology is used in early childhood settings,” said Ross. “The goal is not to eliminate technology, but to ensure its use is developmentally appropriate and never replaces the hands-on learning and human interaction young children need most. By setting thoughtful guardrails and aligning classroom practices with the best available research on early brain development, this legislation supports educators, protects the quality of early learning and reinforces our commitment to giving Alabama’s youngest students the strongest possible start.”

A training program will also be created by the Department of Early Childhood Education to create a baseline for the appropriate use of child screentime for teachers and staff members supervising children.

“The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act represents another important step in ensuring Alabama’s youngest children grow and learn in environments that prioritize human interaction, exploration and healthy development,” said Chesteen. “Building on the progress made with last year’s FOCUS Act, this legislation continues our commitment to protecting the most formative years of childhood. I am grateful to Governor Kay Ivey and my colleagues in the Legislature for recognizing the importance of this issue and working together to support Alabama families.”

The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act will become effective on January 1, 2027.

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