Alabama Legislative Session: Tougher Penalties & Health Boosts

0:00This is Birmingham News Today, powered by AI and presented by The Daily News Now. Alabama's legislative session is now more than halfway through, and Governor Kay Ivey has already signed over 100 bills into law as of March 16th. These measures cover a wide range from public safety to health care, excluding any local county or town specifics or simple contract extensions. Earlier this week, several bills focused on tougher penalties and protections. One makes first degree rape and similar crimes against kids under 12 eligible for the death penalty. Another ups penalties for deadly car crashes and allows arrests without warrants in certain cases, including by out-of-state officers. Meanwhile, health coverage got boost too. Plans must now cover mammograms and prostate screenings without deductibles or copays, especially for high risk or older men. Military training also counts toward emergency medical licenses, and there's free coverage for certain medical symbols on driver licenses.

1:00On the education front, early childhood centers face new screen time limits, and the three queuing reading method is banned in classrooms. Veterans can snag temporary teaching certificates without a full college degree in some fields, aiding workforce needs in rural areas. The session continues with more bills and play, including environmental tasks like sea grass restoration and dredging rules plus updates to taxes, ports, and veteran programs. Officials say these changes aim to strengthen communities across the state. A message from our sponsor supports today's story. Not just fall asleep, drift into what you are listening to. S-O-L-L-I, solelypillow.com