Lawmakers in the US states of Minnesota and Alabama filed companion bills to identical existing bills that if passed into law, would allow each state to buy Bitcoin.

The Minnesota Bitcoin Act, or HF 2946, was introduced to the state’s House by Republican Representative Bernie Perryman on April 1, following an identical bill introduced on March 17 by GOP state Senator Jeremy Miller.

Meanwhile, on the same day in Alabama, Republican state Senator Will Barfoot introduced Senate Bill 283, while a bi-partisan group of representatives led by Republican Mike Shaw filed the identical House Bill 482, which allows for the state to invest in crypto, but essentially limits it to Bitcoin (BTC).

Twin Alabama bills don’t explicitly name Bitcoin

Minnesota’s Bitcoin Act would allow the state’s investment board to invest state assets in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and permit state employees to add crypto to retirement accounts.

It would also exempt crypto gains from state income taxes and give residents the option to pay state taxes and fees with Bitcoin.

The twin Alabama bills don’t explicitly identify Bitcoin, but would limit the state’s crypto investment into assets that have a minimum market value of $750 billion, a criterion that only Bitcoin currently meets.

26 Bitcoin reserve bills now introduced in the US

Introducing identical bills is not uncommon in the US and is typically done to speed up the bicameral legislative process so laws can pass more quickly.

Bills to create a Bitcoin reserve have been introduced in 26 US states, with Arizona currently the closest to passing a law to make one, according to data from the bill tracking website Bitcoin Laws.

Pennsylvania was one of the first US states to introduce a Bitcoin reserve bill, in November 2024. However, the initiative was reportedly eventually rejected, with similar bills also killed in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

North Carolina bills would add crypto to state’s retirement system 

According to a March 3 report by Barron’s, “red states” like Montana have faced setbacks to the Bitcoin reserve initiatives amid political confrontations between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Additional reporting by Helen Partz.

Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

This is a guest opinion column

Alabama is not just home to college football dynasties and America’s best barbeque. It is an economic powerhouse that drives the forefront of the nation’s defense and aerospace industries. And it is no accident. Thanks to decades of smart, strategic leadership in the U.S. Senate, our state has secured billions in federal investments, fueling job growth and cementing our role as a leader in national security.

From former Senator Richard Shelby’s Space Launch System to Tommy Tuberville’s expansion of Redstone Arsenal’s missile defense capabilities, Alabama’s senators have kept the money, and the jobs, flowing. Senator Katie Britt is pushing our state forward too. Last year, she delivered more than $6.1 billion in defense funding, including $825 million for cruise missiles built in Troy. She also secured $605 million for the Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, and additional funding for space programs.

Senator Britt’s wins are not just numbers on a balance sheet. She is helping more hard-working Alabamans go to work knowing that they are serving their country while putting food on the table. But Alabama’s leading defense and aerospace industries are not a given, and neither are the jobs they create. There are a few priorities that Senator Britt can champion to keep Alabama’s economy growing.

A key piece to Alabama keeping its economic edge is by continuing to secure federal investments for our defense industry. By securing more investments in next-generation missiles, AI-driven cybersecurity, and hypersonic weapons, Alabama can continue to take the lead in keeping America safe and our state prosperous.

Senator Britt, along with our congressional delegation, can prioritize protecting American companies from foreign interference. Every day, America’s adversaries steal our intellectual property and violate economic sanctions. Worse, they exploit our patent system, undermining the bedrock of American innovation. Our leaders must safeguard Alabama’s defense and aerospace industries by reforming the International Trade Commission (ITC), which has already threatened crucial technologies and cost Americans their jobs.

Just look at the ITC’s decision against Boeing in favor of Canadian defense company Bombardier. The ITC sided with Bombardier despite the fact that the Department of Commerce had recently ruled that Bombardier had broken US trade laws. Now, other anti-American ITC decisions could cripple the US defense companies, including many cases involving key semiconductors that Alabama’s defense industry needs to thrive.

Finally, Alabama must seize the future of space exploration. The state has been a leader in spaceflight since the Apollo era, but with NASA shifting toward private-sector partnerships, Alabama must fight to stay at the center of this transformation. This means securing contracts for Alabama-based companies like Dynetics, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Blue Origin. It also means ensuring Alabama universities are training the aerospace engineers and technicians who can contribute to those companies.

The formula for Alabama’s success has always been clear: aggressive leadership, strategic investment, and an unyielding commitment to keeping our industries strong. Our senators have delivered repeatedly, but the fight is not over. If we want Alabama to remain a national powerhouse in defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing, we must keep pushing to protect Alabama jobs and support America’s national security.

Joseph Summers serves as CEO of Minerva Defense in Huntsville, Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Halfway through the 2025 Alabama legislative session, state lawmakers are bringing gambling back to the table. State Senator Greg Albritton filed legislation Tuesday that would legalize some forms of gaming.

His legislation includes a lottery, sports betting, and electronic bingo at the six existing facilities in Alabama. It would not add any new facilities. Albritton says he wants to take what’s already there, cap it and tax it.

Last year, gambling legislation passed the house, but it came up one vote short in the Senate. Albritton did not vote in favor of it.

He says this bill is better because it provides more security against illegal gambling.

“One thing that we have in this bill is an enforcement arm that’s going to be significant. We’re going to eliminate those confusing laws that we have currently, increase the penalties and put a strong enforcement there so that people that have the expertise and the resources, they can go out and shut down all the illegals. We don’t have that now, and the bill that we had on the floor last year did not have the capability of doing that. That’s why I killed it,” he said.

Albritton says he’s determined, but concerned over whether he can get gambling legislation passed this session.

“We’re trying to work on a way to get the 21 votes that we need in the Senate to pass it. We don’t want to have another difficult vote like we had last year,” says Sen. Albritton. If it passes this year, Alabamians will have to give the final approval by vote.

Sign up for the WSFA Newsletter and get the latest local news and breaking alerts in your email!

Copyright 2025 WSFA. All rights reserved.