The special session of the Alabama Legislature adjourned October 1 after approving Gov. Kay Ivey’s plan to allocate COVID-19 relief funding to a prison infrastructure plan.

Another special session is expected to be called to take up the issue of redistricting before the Legislature convenes for the 2022 session on January 11, 2022.

Gov. Kay Ivey called a special session of the Alabama Legislature to convene on September 27.

The purpose of the special session is to address the state’s prison infrastructure.

A copy of a draft bill has already been presented to the legislators containing a multi-phase plan including the construction of two new prison facilities and other necessary renovations to existing facilities, which will be funded in part by a $785 million bond issue and $400 million from federal COVID relief funding.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a special primary election for House District 76 will be held on November 16 with runoff elections held on December 14, if necessary.

The special general election will be held on March 1, 2022.

The seat was previously held by Rep. Thad McClammy who passed away on August 21.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a special primary election for House District 63 will be held on October 19 with runoff elections held on November 16, if necessary.

The special general election will be held on February 1, 2022.

The House District 63 seat has been vacant since former Rep. Bill Poole took over as state finance director on August 1.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has appointed Rep. Bill Poole to succeed Kelly Butler as state finance director.

In June, Butler announced he would be retiring after over 30 years of public service due to health concerns.

Rep. Poole, who has chaired the House Ways and Means Education Committee since 2013, will begin his new position as head of the Alabama Department of Finance on August 1.

The Alabama Legislature adjourned sine die on May 17.

Among the measures passed were the $2.4 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year, legalization of medical marijuana, and a ban on curbside voting.

Additionally, a bill requiring all campaign finance reports to be filed electronically was passed earlier in the session.

This requirement goes into effect in August 2023.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced another special election to be held in 2021.

This election will be for Alabama House District 78, which became vacant when Rep. Kirk Hatcher won the special election to fill the vacant Senate District 26 on March 2.

The primary election for the House seat will be held on May 25 with a runoff election on June 22, if necessary.

The general election will be held on September 7.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced the special election dates for House District 73 to coincide with the previously announced special election for Senate District 14.

The special primary election will be held on March 30, 2021, with a runoff on April 27, if necessary.

The general election will be held on July 13.

The House District 73 was vacated when Rep. Matt Fridy resigned after being elected to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced the special election dates for the Senate District 14 seat previously held by Sen. Cam Ward.

The special primary election will be held on March 30, 2021, with a runoff on April 27, if necessary.

In addition, the general election will be held on July 13.

Ward left the office to accept an appointment as director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced the special election dates for Senate District 26.

This seat was previously held by Sen. David Burkette who resigned last week ahead of being arrested for violations of the state’s Fair Campaign Practices Act.

The special primary election will be held on November 17 with a runoff on December 15, if necessary.

The general election will be held on March 2, 2021.

The Alabama Ethics Commission has filed a motion asking the Montgomery County Circuit Court to revise one of their orders.

The Court recently ruled that airport authority employees are not public employees, or subject to the Ethics Act.

The Ethics Commission has proposed rather than looking to whether someone is paid through taxpayer contributions, the standard should be whether their salaries were paid out of revenue from negotiated “commercial arms-length” transactions.

The Birmingham Airport Authority has filed a response arguing the commission’s new standard inconsistent with the facts of the case.

Joining them in opposition, the Alabama Water and Wastewater Institute has also filed a brief arguing this new standard.

The institute argues the standard would create a burden on public corporations and their employees.

Therefore, this would cause an attempt to untie a tangled knot of revenue and determine the status of each employee.

On May 18, the final day of the regular session, the Alabama Legislature voted to approve with Gov. Kay Ivey’s amendment to Senate Bill 161.

This amendment allocates the $1.8 billion received by the state from the CARES Act.

Thus, the Alabama Legislature now stands adjourned sine die.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has scheduled a special election to replace Rep. April Weaver of House District 49.

Weaver recently announced her resignation to take a position with the Trump Administration.

If necessary, the primary election for the seat will be held on August 4 with a runoff set for September 1.

Additionally, the special general election will be held on November 17.

The Alabama Legislature’s leadership has announced the Legislature’s return will be delayed until May 4.

Originally set to return on April 28, the decision complies with Gov. Kay Ivey’s stay-at-home order, which remains in effect until April 30.

This delay will require the Legislature to work quickly as the session must adjourn sine die on or before May 18, per the state constitution.