There’s been a new twist in Alabama’s same sex marriage controversy. No new marriage licenses for same-sex couples will be issued, at least for now.
All but one member of the Alabama Supreme Court sided with Chief Justice Roy Moore’s order to all of the state’s probate judges. Ruling on a petition from the Alabama Policy Institute and Alabama Citizens Action Program, the court says all county probate judges must stop issuing same sex marriage licenses for five days. At the end of that time, the probate judges have to say why they should be allowed to continue granting licenses to gay couples.
Angela Channel and Dawn Hicks received Tuscaloosa’s first same sex license last month. Channel says it’s important to have their union recognized.
“To be able to do this legally means a great deal. We committed forever, and it’s nice to have a piece of paper that recognizes this is forever.”
The issue may not be settled permanently until the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the matter in a few months. That court is expected to rule in June.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley rolled out his plan for the 2015 legislative session last night in his annual State of the State Address.
Bentley told legislators that it is time for a bold move. The move he is proposing is a $541 million tax increase to help plug a shortfall of $241 million in the state’s general fund and education budget. Although an opponent to raising taxes in his tenure as governor, Bentley does not see another alternative.
“Now, as we look to the future, we must take the steps necessary to help get our state out of debt and find secure financial footing. Revenue must increase.”
Bentley’s budget proposal will have eight separate tax increases for a boost in revenue. Other points he stressed in the State of the State address were job creation, prison reform and education.
Supporters of charter schools are wasting no time in pushing state lawmakers to support the creation of this alternative education system.
Proponents of charter schools in Alabama will be making that support known during this morning’s meeting of the Alabama Senate’s Education and Youth Affairs Committee. The focus of the gathering is senate bill forty five, also known as the School Choice and Student Opportunity Act.
The measure would end Alabama’s opposition to charter schools, which operate outside of the regulations of the traditional school system. It would allow for ten new charter schools a year, and will also allow school systems to convert an unlimited number of existing schools to charter status. It would also create a state oversight committee to monitor charter schools.
The Democratic minority and the Alabama Education Association are likely to renew their opposition to charter schools over concerns that they will funnel money away from already-struggling public schools. However, GOP supporters have solidified their hold on power in Montgomery and may have the votes they need to pass the bill.
Emergency managers say to keep an eye out for icy streets and the possibility of power outages in parts of Alabama starting tonight.
The National Weather Service says freezing rain could leave up to a quarter inch of ice accumulation tonight in parts of northern Alabama.
Drivers in cities like Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Gadsden could also see hazardous driving conditions overnight. Forecast models indicate the freezing rain could last from midnight tonight all the way through sunrise Thursday morning.
Another concern is possible overnight power outages. When freezing rain settles, the extra weight of that ice can tear down power lines, leaving customers in the dark. During the late February snow storm, Alabama Power says 11,000 customers in Tuscaloosa lost electricity, along with an additional 5,000 in Birmingham.