The Alabama House Health Committee recently approved a series of abortion restrictions that opponents say would ban most abortions in the state.
The committee approved three separate pieces of legislation, including one bill that would prohibit abortion providers from performing an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Bill sponsor Terri Collins says the end of a person's life is defined by the absence of a heartbeat, so it makes sense that the beginning of life should be defined by the presence of one.
Opponents say fetal heartbeats can be detected in the first four to six weeks of pregnancy, before women may even know they're pregnant. A statement from the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama says the legislation would limit women's access to a constitutionally protected medical procedure.
Another bill would allow health care providers to decline to participate in any procedure that violates their conscience.
A third bill would ban abortion clinics or reproductive health centers from locating within 2,000 feet of a public school.
A new judge will hear a court case involving tax dollars and how school boards campaign for funding. That case may change how Alabama communities pay for education.
Circuit Court Judge Greg Griffin has been assigned to hear State Auditor Jim Zeigler’s lawsuit against the Baldwin County school board. Zeigler alleges the district illegally used two hundred and fifty thousand dollars of public money to campaign for a property tax increase back in March. The additional tax money would have gone toward capital improvements at local schools. Voters said no to the tax hike, and Zeigler complains the school board is out an additional quarter million taxpayer dollars.
A number of communities have gone to voters to raise money for schools recently. Tuscaloosa voters approved a tax increase in early March. Tallapoosa County may be next on Monday. School leaders there are asking for a one percent sales tax hike to pay for building improvements and more bandwidth so students can use the internet in class.
This week is National Small Business Week, which recognizes the contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business. Many military veterans use the skills learned during their service time when they return home and find jobs or start a business.
Jim Salmon is the head of business lending for Navy Federal Credit Union. He says there are plenty of ways veterans can find help getting started.
“Find a mentor, find someone within the industry you’re interested in getting into and pick their brain. They’ve gone down the road before you, if you work with them they might be able to guide you down an easier path or part of the path than what they went through, take advantage of their experiences.”
Salmon says it is also important for anyone interested in opening their own business to get their own financial house in order before considering applying for a business loan.
A drug manufacturer has asked several states including Alabama to return supplies of the company's drugs that could be used for lethal injection.
Lake Forest, Illinois-based Akorn Pharmaceuticals sent a letter to attorney general's offices in states including Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Oregon and Texas, requesting the return of the drugs.
Akorn says it strongly objects to the use of its products in capital punishment and demands the return of the drugs in question: midazolam, a sedative, and hydromorphone, a painkiller.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing a challenge as to whether the use of midazolam in lethal injections is constitutional. The drug has been pointed out as the likely cause of several botched executions across the country.
Several states that confirmed receiving the letter have said they did not respond.