State Headlines

Governor Riley Seeks Job Opportunities for Alabamians on Economic Development Mission
  Governor Bob Riley is going to three continents over 13 days this month on an economic development mission designed to attract new jobs and expand Alabama’s trade opportunities.  Joined by Dennis Richardson, the Australian ambassador to the U.S., at a news conference today Governor Riley announced he will be leading a delegation of Alabama business and government leaders to France, Singapore and Australia from June 12-24. <more>

SPARKS ANNOUNCES ALTERNATIVE FUELS PARTNERSHIP WITH ASU & MONTGOMERY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
   Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries Ron Sparks along with State Representatives John Knight and Thad McClammy, Alabama State University President Dr. William Harris, and Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Clay Slagle announced a three-way partnership regarding the establishment of a “Save the Environment” program, which will produce biodiesel from recycled cooking oils for use in MPS busses and other diesel-powered equipment. <more>

New Laws Signed by Governor Riley Make Government More Transparent and Open
Governor Bob Riley visited Decatur Wednesday to celebrate the passage of two new laws that make Alabama’s government and elections process more transparent.   The laws, sponsored in the legislative session by two north Alabama lawmakers - Senator Arthur Orr and Representative Mike Ball - establish a website detailing state spending and require unopposed candidates for office to file campaign finance reports. <more>

New Law Sought by Governor Riley Requires Disclosure of State Flights, Spending
   Governor Bob Riley on Friday signed into law a bill he has been advocating for years that requires governors to report details of state aircraft usage and spending from the Governor’s Contingency Fund.  Since he came into office in 2003, Governor Riley has voluntarily posted on the Internet the flight logs of state aircraft he uses and expenditures from the contingency fund.  <more>

Alabama Receives $6.28 Million to Battle Cogongrass
     The Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) received word on Thursday, May 14, that the agency has been awarded a $6.28 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant to aid in the battle against cogongrass, a non-native invasive species. <more>

Statement on Passage of PACT Resolution
  With Senate Joint Resolution 150 we begin the process of bringing stability back to Alabama's PACT program .  While some speak of wanting to dissolve the program, I want to make it absolutely clear that the PACT program’s funds are sufficient to meet all obligations for the next few years.  Today, we made the commitment to find the specific problems in PACT and fix them. <more>

Alabama Senate Positions Electronic Voting Bill to Become Law
   Ala- Secretary of State Beth Chapman and the Military and Overseas Voting Task Force have cleared another hurdle in making electronic voting for overseas voters a reality.  The Senate Constitution, Campaign Finance, Ethics, and Elections Committee approved House Bill 711 by a vote of 7-0 today.  Senator Quinton Ross (D-Montgomery), who serves as chairman of the committee, was instrumental in the advancement of the bill in the Alabama Senate. <more>

Governor’s Office Statement on Senate Joint Resolution 86 Regarding Unemployment Benefits in the Federal Stimulus Law
   Governor Riley did not sign Senate Joint Resolution 86 because it states something that is absolutely not true. This resolution says the Governor has refused to apply for these stimulus funds. The Governor has not refused to apply for any stimulus funds and has applied for all stimulus funds Alabama is eligible to receive. The only reason Alabama may not receive some stimulus funds related to unemployment benefits is because Alabama does not qualify for them. The Legislature must change state law in order for the state to qualify. Legislators acknowledged this fact when they passed a different resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 68, last month. SJR 68 asks Congress to “rescind those portions of the federal law (the federal stimulus law) that require changes in our state unemployment compensation law in order to receive additional unemployment compensation incentives.” <more>

First Class Pre-K Program Again Rated Nation’s Best
    Alabama’s First Class Pre-Kindergarten program is once again rated the nation’s best for overall quality. For the third consecutive year, the National Institute for Early Education Research rated Alabama and North Carolina as tied for the top spot when it comes to meeting all quality standards in pre-k. <more>