Speaker’s Press ClipsThursday, January 15, 2015

Al.com: Hubbard says Legislature can't keep 'kicking the can down the road' on budget AP: Leadership of committees in Alabama Legislature show consistency WAAY: Rep. Hubbard announces House Committee chairs from north Alabama Dothan First: Speaker Hubbard announces several leadership roles from the Wiregrass Decatur Daily: Collins to head House education policy committee Andalusia Star News: Jones named chair of judiciary committee Anniston Star: Calhoun County representative now heads Homeland Security committee WTVY: Rep. Clouse, Jones Appointed to Lead Ala. House Committees Al.com: Pro-life Stand for Life 2015, 16th annual, to be held on Huntsville Square Friday News Courier: Local officials react to proposed bill that would relax gun restriction rights Al.com: Better than New Jersey: Bentley gathers cabinet to discuss his first-term

accomplishments Yellowhammer News: Illegal immigration could cost Alabama a congressional seat and

an electoral college vote Montgomery Advertiser: ACT scores show Alabama, MPS students lagging Dothan Eagle: Alabama eases requirements for out-of-state teachers Montgomery Advertiser: Sidney Lanier, UAB form partnership to help students AP: Prosecutor drops misdemeanor against Sen. Tom Whatley Al.com: Alabama adds almost 30,000 new Obamacare enrollees over 2014 totals Al.com: Gov. Bentley's inaugural day prayer service cancelled; Jim Zeigler to host service

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Hubbard says Legislature can't keep 'kicking the can down the road' on budgetAl.comJanuary 14, 2015Mike Cason

MONTGOMERY, Alabama --- Lawmakers expect a proposal from Gov. Robert Bentley on how to fix the persistent shortages in the state's General Fund, the main source of state money for prisons, Medicaid, and many other state services.

Alabama House of Representatives Speaker Mike Hubbard said today the Legislature does not need to settle for another short-term solution to recurring budget problems.

Hubbard said legislative leaders have been meeting with the governor about ideas for the legislative session that begins March 3. The General Fund is projected to be about $250 million short next fiscal year.

"Hopefully we'll be able to come up with a solution that will not just be kicking the can down the road, which we have done for decades and decades, and that's just not acceptable anymore," Hubbard said.

Hubbard held a State House news conference at the conclusion of the House's two-day organizational session, at which he was reelected speaker.

At the news conference, he introduced 25 other GOP House members who will hold leadership positions, including 22 committee chairs, many of them returning from the last term.

Hubbard said prison reform is a priority for the new Legislature.

Rep. Mike Jones, R-Andalusia, named the new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee today, said he expects to be heavily involved in proposed reforms for criminal justice and for prisons, which are filled to almost twice their capacity.

"This is something we can't ignore," Jones said.

Jones replaces Paul DeMarco, who ran for Congress instead of reelection to the House.

A state task force with representatives from all three branches of state government and others is working with the Council of State Governments Justice Center on criminal justice reforms that could address prison crowding, recidivism and other issues.

Jones was expecting to meet with Council of State Governments researchers today. He said it was too early to say what legislation might be proposed because the problems are complex.

Republicans now hold 72 of the 105 seats in the House, six more than they did at the end of last term.

Hubbard said they would press ahead with what he said were important reforms passed since the GOP took control of the State House in 2010.

"We're still ready to fight to move Alabama forward even more," Hubbard said.

Rep. Darrio Melton, D-Selma, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said he doesn't think the GOP leadership has much to boast about in the way of results in the last four years.

"We've got a General Fund budget that's crumbling and an education system in desperate need for more revenue," Melton said. "We see prisons being overcrowded and health care services are not being expanded."

Melton said the Democrats would fight for more resources in the classrooms for public schools, more access to affordable and quality health care, a solution to the prison problems and economic development efforts to help rural Alabama and small businesses.

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Leadership of committees in Alabama Legislature show consistencyThe Associated PressJanuary 14, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Alabama legislators on Wednesday concluded an organizational session, with Republicans preparing for their second term in control of the Alabama Legislature.

The leadership of key committees in the newly elected Alabama Legislature will look much like the previous four years.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard announced Wednesday that Mac McCutcheon of Capshaw will be back as Rules Committee chairman for the next four years. Bill Poole of Tuscaloosa will again lead the House Ways and Means Education Committee and Steve Clouse of Ozark will again chair the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee.

Hubbard said the General Fund committee will be one of the busiest as it struggles with how to fill a deficit in the state operating budget .

"I do like Steve. This is not punishment," Hubbard told reporters.

One major change is the appointment of Mike Jones of Andalusia to lead the Judiciary Committee, which Hubbard said will play an important role in shaping legislation to address Alabama's prison problems. Jones replaces Paul DeMarco, who did not seek re-election last year.

Key leadership positions remained the same in the Alabama Senate as well.

Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills will return as Senate Rules committee chairman. Arthur Orr of Decatur will chair the Finance and Taxation-General Fund Committee and Trip Pittman of Montrose, will chair the Finance and Taxation-Education Committee. All committee leaders are Republican.

Senators on Wednesday voted 30-4 to approve operating rules for the next four years, but Democrats said the rules will continue to make it difficult for their voices to be heard in the overwhelmingly GOP chamber.

"You just want to shut some of us up," Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, said during floor debate.

Just eight Democrats remain in the 35-member Senate, meaning Republicans can easily cut off debate to force votes on legislation. Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, unsuccessfully tried to alter the rules to expand the time between ending debate and a bill vote to an hour instead of the 20 minutes it has traditionally been.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, said he believed the rules were fair to both parties and did not make major changes in procedure.

Marsh and Hubbard said priority issues facing lawmakers when they return for their regular session March 3 include the General Fund budget, a Republican-backed charter school bill and prison reform.

"We have a lot of work to do for the people of this state, and it is going to take all of working together," Marsh said.

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Rep. Hubbard announces House Committee chairs from north AlabamaWAAYJanuary 14, 2015Savannah Williamson

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAAY) - Six north Alabama representatives have been selected to chair prominent Alabama House committees from 2014 - 2018.

Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard made the announcement Wednesday.

Here are a few of the chosen committee chairs and the committees they will be leading: Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw) – Rules Rep. Lynn Greer (R-Rogersville) – Transportation, Utilities, and Infrastructure Rep. Phil Williams (R-Monrovia) – Technology and Research Rep. Howard Sanderford (R-Huntsville) – Boards, Agencies and Commissions Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) – Education Policy Rep. Mike Ball (R-Madison) – Ethics and Campaign Finance

The 2015 Regular Session convenes on March 3, and is expected to adjourn sometime in June.

In a news release, Representative Mike Hubbard said, "“We’ve made tremendous strides over the past four years towards improving education, growing the economy, and protecting the rights and values that Alabamians hold dear. I am confident that this group of legislators will continue to lead our fight and move Alabama forward. The backgrounds, talents, and proven leadership of each of these individuals makes them uniquely qualified to fill these posts, and I look forward to working with them over the next four years.”

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Speaker Hubbard announces several leadership roles from the WiregrassDothan FirstJanuary 15, 2015

Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) on Wednesday announced that several legislators from the Wiregrass have been selected to chair prominent House committees during the 2014 - 2018 quadrennium.

Among the chairs from the Wiregrass and the committees they will lead are:•Rep. Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) – Ways and Means General Fund•Rep. Mike Jones (R-Andalusia) – Judiciary•Rep. Alan Boothe (R-Troy) – Internal Affairs•Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) – Military and Veterans Affairs

“We’ve made tremendous strides over the past four years towards improving education, growing the economy, and protecting the rights and values that Alabamians hold dear. I am confident that this group of legislators will continue to lead our fight and move Alabama forward,” Hubbard said. “The backgrounds, talents, and proven leadership of each of these individuals makes them uniquely qualified to fill these posts, and I look forward to working with them over the next four years.”

The 2015 Regular Session convenes on March 3, and is expected to adjourn sometime in June.

The following individuals from across the state were also named as chairs of House committees:•Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw) – Rules•Rep. Bill Poole (R-Tuscaloosa) – Ways and Means Education •Rep. Mark Tuggle (R-Alexander City) – State Government•Rep. Lynn Greer (R-Rogersville) – Transportation, Utilities, and Infrastructure•Rep. Phil Williams (R-Monrovia) – Technology and Research•Rep. Jack Williams (R-Vestavia Hills) – Commerce and Small Business •Rep. David Sessions (R-Grand Bay) – Agriculture and Forestry•Rep. Alan Harper (R-Northport) – Economic Development and Tourism •Rep. Alan Baker (R-Brewton) – Local Legislation•Rep. April Weaver (R-Brierfield) – Health •Rep. Randy Davis (R-Daphne) – Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections•Rep. Randy Wood (R-Anniston) – Public Safety and Homeland Security •Rep. Howard Sanderford (R-Huntsville) – Boards, Agencies and Commissions•Rep. Steve McMillan (R-Bay Minette) – County and Municipal Government•Rep. Lesley Vance (R-Phenix City) – Financial Services•Rep. Mike Hill (R- Columbiana) – Insurance •Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) – Education Policy•Rep. K.L. Brown (R- Jacksonville) – Children and Senior Advocacy •Rep. Mike Ball (R-Madison) – Ethics and Campaign Finance

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Collins to head House education policy committeeDecatur DailyJanuary 14, 2015Mary Sell

MONTGOMERY — State Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, has been selected to lead the Alabama House’s committee on education policy.

Collins has previously served on the committee that hears proposed changes to the state’s education rules and policies.

Collins, elected to a second term in November, has carried several education-related bills, including a 2012 law, not yet fully implemented, to give every school in the state a letter grade so that parents can easily compare schools’ performance.

State Republicans, including Collins, have said they are interested in legislation that will allow more school choice. No specific legislation has been seen yet.

The session starts March 3.

For more on the committee assignments of local lawmakers, check back later.

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Jones named chair of judiciary committeeAndalusia Star-NewsJanuary 14, 2015 Rep. Mike Jones, R-Andalusia, landed the chairmanship of a key legislative committee in the Alabama House of Representatives’ organizational meeting in Montgomery this week.

Jones, who is beginning his second term, will chair the House Judiciary Committee.

The two-day organizational meeting began Tuesday, when the House re-elected Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, as its speaker. Hubbard’s wife, Susan Sorrells Hubbard, is a native of Opp.

Rep. MacMcCutcheon, R-Huntsville, returned as chairman of the powerful Rules Committee; Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, will continue to chair the Ways and Means General Fund Committee; and Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa, will continue in his role as chairman of the Ways and Means Education Committee.

Jones replaced Paul DeMarco of Homewood, who ran for Congress instead of seeking reelection. DeMarco’s bid was unsuccessful.

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Calhoun County representative now heads Homeland Security committeeAnniston StarJanuary 14, 2015Tim Lockette

Rep. Randy Wood, R-Saks, was named chairman of the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security on Wednesday, as lawmakers wrapped up their organizational session — a post-election meeting in which lawmakers select their leaders for the coming four year. Calhoun County’s delegation came away with several committee appointments, including some key positions.

“When the county has a chairmanship on a committee, it does give us a little more say about what passes,” Wood said.

Wood, a 12-year member of the House, has long been known for sponsoring bills proposed by the law enforcement community — including tougher penalties for burglary and restrictions on the use of bulletproof vests.

“I’ve always supported FOP bills,” he said, using the acronym for the Fraternal Order of Police. The chairmanship won’t likely change the outcome of Wood’s bills, which rarely had trouble clearing the Public Safety committee. Wood said he expects renewed concerns about terrorism to inspire a number of terrorism-related public safety bills in 2015. Asked what state-level laws can do to prevent terrorism, Wood declined to give details.

“We’ll just have to see what bills they bring,” he said.

Rep. K.L. Brown, R-Jacksonville, moves up to the chairmanship of the House Committee on Children and Senior Advocacy, a committee Wood chaired until Wednesday. Rep. Barbara Boyd, D-Anniston, was named ranking minority member on the committee. In all, the six House members in Calhoun County’s delegation picked up 19 committee positions.

“I think our delegation got a good, broad representation in committees,” Boyd said.

No members of the local delegation sit on the Ways and Means Committee, which controls the state’s purse strings. Still, Wood and Boyd were reappointed to the Rules Committee, a powerful body that decides when bills come to the House floor.

The county got three seats on the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, which among other functions serves as gatekeeper for bills that would clear the way for alcohol sales in various locales. Rep. Becky Nordgren, R-Gadsden, was named vice-chairwoman of that committee, with Rep. Richard Lindsey, D-Centre, as ranking minority member and Brown also a committee member.

Committee appointments are decided by House Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn. Calhoun County already holds a powerful position in the Senate, with the county’s sole senator, Republican Del Marsh of Anniston, as president pro tempore.

House members also voted Wednesday on new joint rules for operation of the House and Senate. Those rules did not include restrictions on media access to both houses, something proposed earlier this year but abandoned by the Senate in its draft of the rules.

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Rep. Clouse, Jones Appointed to Lead Ala. House CommitteesWTVYJanuary 14, 2015MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- The leadership of key committees in the newly elected Alabama House will look much like the previous House.

House Speaker Mike Hubbard announced Wednesday that Mac McCutcheon of Capshaw will be back as Rules Committee chairman for the next four years. Phil Poole of Tuscaloosa will again lead the House Ways and Means Education Committee and Steve Clouse of Ozark will again chair the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee.

One major change is the appointment of Mike Jones of Andalusia to lead the Judiciary Committee. He replaces Paul DeMarco, who did not seek re-election last year. All of the committee leaders are Republican.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh will announce Senate committee chairmanships soon.

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Pro-life Stand for Life 2015, 16th annual, to be held on Huntsville Square FridayAl.comJanuary 13, 2015Kay Campbell HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Vernon Bearden, the co-founder of Huntsville's annual Stand for Life anti-abortion demonstration, will be honored at this year's Stand for Life, the 16th annual, which will be held on the west side of the Huntsville Square, across Jefferson Street from the courthouse, at noon on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015.

Bearden, who died at 62 in November, was also active in Conservative Christians of Alabama, a firm promoter of the display of the biblical 10 Commandments in public places, and a retired U.S. Army officer who worked as a civilian with the Blackhawk helicopter command at Redstone Arsenal.

"He will be much missed," said the Rev. James Henderson, who coordinates the annual Stand for Life. Bearden, he said, because of his government job felt he should stay in the background, but

was the backbone of the organization and internal communication for the group. Bearden died of a heart attack.

The list of speakers invited for the gathering of community and regional pro-life activists includes Alabama Rep. Mike Ball, Alabama Rep. Ed Henry, Alabama Rep. Jim Patterson and recent state representative candidate Chris Horn of Huntsville. This year's emphasis will be on gaining the involvement of state legislators in supporting a bill calling for a 2,000-foot distance between clinics that offer abortion services and schools, said the Rev. James Henderson, who organizes the event.

The event, which usually draws about 100 people, will be moved to the east side of the Huntsville courthouse under the courthouse porch if it's raining, Henderson said. Henderson sees the annual stand as well as the on-going demonstrations at the Alabama Women's Wellness Center, which is on Sparkman Drive not too far from a school, as having some effects on limiting abortions.

"We've gained much credibility this past year as fighters for life and are proud of federal Judge Myron Thompson's criticism of Huntsville pro-lifers in his ruling on HB57 as well as taking our zoning case to Judge Mann's Circuit Court," Henderson said.

On Nov. 17, 2014, Judge Mann dismissed the zoning lawsuit brought by Henderson and the Christian Coalition of Alabama over the zoning decision that allowed the clinic in its current location. In August, Judge Thompson ruled unconstitutional Alabama's 2013 HB57, which required that physicians working at clinics that provide abortion have local hospital admitting privileges.

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Local officials react to proposed bill that would relax gun restriction rightsNews CourierJanuary 14, 2015Adam Smith

Bills aimed at bolstering support for gun ownership rights may again be at the forefront of Alabama’s next legislative session, which begins in March.

This week, Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, said he planned to introduce a bill that will make it legal for Alabamians to carry loaded handguns in their vehicle without a concealed-carry permit.

People can currently carry a handgun in a vehicle without a permit, but it has to be unloaded, locked away and out of reach. People can also carry loaded rifles and shotguns without a permit.

Allen says people should have a right to keep a handgun in their car just as they do in their home. He also said the change would bring Alabama in line with other Southern states. However, lawmakers rejected similar legislation last year after some law enforcement officials objected.

Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely said he supports a person’s Second Amendment rights as much as anyone, but added allowing people to have easy access to a loaded gun in their vehicle would not be wise.

“If we get a call that someone is mad at his estranged wife and he’s coming over with a gun, we can stop you,” he said. “If there’s no law preventing you from having that loaded gun on your seat, we can’t do anything.”

The sheriff said there are certain gun-rights groups that spread misinformation and put Alabamians in fear of having their rights restricted. Blakely said Limestone Countians have no reason to worry and shouldn’t support what he referred to as a “bad bill.”

He added that Sen. Allen’s comparison of protecting a vehicle like a home doesn’t make sense.

“If you’re in your home, there’s no road rage; you can allow who you allow in your home,” he said. “I’m hoping the average citizen will encourage their legislators to let reason prevail.”

Rep. Dan Williams, R-Athens, said Tuesday he was aware of Allen’s legislation, but wasn’t familiar enough with the specifics to say if he would support it or not.

“(Law enforcement officials) say there will be much more road rage and more danger to law enforcement, but I don’t know about that,” Williams said. “You have to balance a person’s right to (carry a gun) with what’s best for law enforcement, but I’m going to wait to see what the bill says.”

Like Williams, State Sen. Bill Holtzclaw said he wanted to study Allen’s bill further before passing judgment on its merits.

“We have to see where it sits with our Second Amendment rights and then with the concerns of law enforcement. And by looking at the Second Amendment, you’re talking about citizens’ rights,” he said. “I gauge everything based on what I hear from law enforcement and the constituents. ... But I suspected (the bill) would come back around.”

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Better than New Jersey: Bentley gathers cabinet to discuss his first-term accomplishmentsAl.comJanuary 14, 2015Jim Stinson MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- On Tuesday night, Gov. Robert Bentley was watching TV.

But being a political junkie, he didn't tune into reality TV. Instead, he watched New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's State of the State address.

Christie, also the head of the Republican Governors Association, campaigned with Bentley in Birmingham on Aug. 13. The two men are friends, but that didn't stop Bentley from boasting about his first term compared to Christie's.

"We've done a lot more in Alabama than they've done in New Jersey," said Bentley, eager to talk about his first term and get started on his second.

Bentley listed his accomplishments to an audience of cabinet members and media members he gathered in the old House chamber of the Alabama Capitol. Bentley said he was at "half time," between two different parts of the game.

The coach then went over his first-term accomplishments with the team.

Bentley said the state announced 63,000 jobs in his first term, including jobs provided by Airbus, Remington Arms Co., and Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group. Employment numbers are the highest since 2008, before the deepest part of the Great Recession hit. And the state government has cut its size by 12 percent.

Bentley said he was able to cut the size of state government by going one step further than his predecessor, Bob Riley. Riley had placed a freeze on state hiring, Bentley said, but the number of employees remained about the same.

When Bentley came in, the governor said, he cut further by offering retirement to many state employees, and then not replacing them.

The Bentley administration also discovered that almost every state department had its own information technology department, and they didn't communicate well with each other. Bentley referred to that as being part of a 1980s culture.

State government IT will soon be consolidated, he said, saving lots of money.

And Bentley said his cabinet saved money by negotiating interest rates on loans, cutting one loan's rate from 4.2 percent annually to 1.7 percent -- again, saving millions of dollars.

The governor's press conference with his cabinet was held after the Legislature concluded its Reorganization days. Bentley said much of his agenda in the first term could not have been accomplished without the Legislature.

The Republicans took over the Legislature for the first time since the 1870s in 2010, just as Bentley came into office.

Bentley, like the GOP majority in the legislative chambers, won re-election in 2014, and now Bentley vows to focus on Alabama's long-term problems. Bentley said after his speech that he would give more details about his agenda in the second term in his State of the State, not his inauguration on Monday.

But he did unveil one new policy. Bentley said he wants a new convention center in Gulf State Park -- he signed a bill in 2013 clearing the way for one -- and he won't accept speaking invitations to Alabama government conferences held in Destin, Fla.

"We're going to spend our money in Alabama," he said.

The governor's office released a booklet to his cabinet and to the public listing his accomplishments.

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Illegal immigration could cost Alabama a congressional seat and an electoral college voteYellowhammer NewsJanuary 15, 2015Cliff Sims

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Illegal immigration could cost Alabama a congressional seat, according to a state representative who led the Yellowhammer State’s most recent reapportionment process.

According to the Alabama Legislature, reapportionment is “the process of redividing the 435 seats of the United States House of Representatives, based upon each state’s proportion of the national population. The preceding decennial census is the baseline for determining how many House seats are allotted to each state. The total number of each state’s U. S. House seats, combined with its two U.S. Senate seats, constitutes that state’s number of electoral votes in presidential elections.”

Alabama has held as many as 10 congressional districts, but has maintained seven since the mid 1960s. The 2010 U.S. census resulted in changes to the district lines that went into effect this year, but the state once again held onto its seven congressional seats.

Here’s a diagrammatic history of the Alabama House Delegation from 2006. The 5th District has since then flipped Republican.

History of Alabama Congressional Districts

But according to a new Election Data Services study cited by Pew Research, current population trends suggest Alabama could lose a congressional seat after the next census is conducted in 2020, and thereby also lose a vote in the electoral college.

Alabama grew 1.5% between 2010 and 2013, placing the state toward the lower end of the growth chart. With the exception of neighboring Mississippi (0.9% growth), no state in the South grew at a slower rate. The population of Texas, by contrast, soared by 7.2% over that same time period. The Northeast, which has long been a population center of the country, has experienced swift outward migration in recent years, even seeing some states actually lose population. But on

the West coast, states are growing at a rapid pace, in many cases faster than can be explained by the country’s internal migration trends alone.

Alabama State Rep. Micky Hammon (R-Decatur), the legislator who spearheaded Alabama’s most recent reapportionment plan, has an explanation for why that is, and how it will impact Alabama.

“We have seen this national trend for the last 20 years,” Hammon told Yellowhammer. “Other states have lost Congressional seats to the Western states because of illegal immigration in the past. It has not effected us yet so it was not a big story in this area. This is a part of the liberal’s illegal immigration plan and the Republicans in Washington have been talking about this for some time. There is a political power shift to the states that embrace illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants cannot vote but are counted in the census. Congressional seats are not based on legal residents, but on the number of people who live there. This effects the number of electoral votes for president as well because they are based on the number of Congressional seats plus the two Senate seats.”

According to the Election Data Services research, here are the states who appear to be poised to gain and lose congressional districts after the next census:

States projected to gain districts:Arizona +1 (from 9 to 10)California +1 (from 53 to 54)Colorado +1 (from 7 to 8)Florida +1 (from 27 to 28)North Carolina +1 (from 13 to 14)Oregon +1 (from 5 to 6)Texas +3 (from 36 to 39)Virginia +1 (from 11 to 12)

States projected to lose districts:Alabama -1 (from 7 to 6)Illinois -1 (from 18 to 17)Michigan -1 (from 14 to 13)Minnesota -1 (from 8 to 7)New York -1 (from 27 to 26)Ohio -1 (from 16 to 15)Pennsylvania -1 (from 18 to 17)Rhode Island -1 (from 2 to 1)West Virginia -1 (from 3 to 2)

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Prosecutor drops misdemeanor against Sen. Tom WhatleyThe Associated PressJanuary 14, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A prosecutor has dropped a misdemeanor domestic violence charge against Republican state Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn.

Auburn prosecutor Rick Davidson said he filed a motion to dismiss Wednesday in Auburn Municipal Court. He said that after studying the case, he decided it didn't warrant prosecution.

Auburn police arrested Whatley on Dec. 9 on a charge of third-degree domestic violence. Officers said they arrested Whatley after hearing him arguing with his fiancee and seeing him grab her by the arm and shove her down.

Whatley and his fiancee, Lindsay Waits, disputed the police account last month and said there was no violence.

Whatley was re-elected in November and is beginning his second term in the Senate.

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ACT scores show Alabama, MPS students laggingMontgomery AdvertiserJanuary 15, 2015Josh Moon

Results from new testing of public school students in Alabama paint a bleak picture of students' college preparedness, with just 13 percent of students statewide and only 10 percent of Montgomery County students deemed "college ready."

The results, obtained by the Montgomery Advertiser, have not yet been released by the Alabama State Department of Education but show the results of ACT testing conducted in schools last spring.

It was the first round of the new ACT tests, which were adopted by ALSDE to replace the state's graduation exam. All 11th-grade students took the test last year and additional ACT Aspire tests were given to 3rd-5th-graders and 6th-8th-graders to test each level's progression towards "college readiness" in four areas — college-level Algebra, English composition, social science and biology.

ACT defines its "college ready" benchmark as students scoring high enough to have a 50 percent or higher chance to pass college coursework.

"It's a much more accurate picture of where we are as a state and provides us a clear road map of where we need to go," state Superintendent Tommy Bice said. "I actually like having those numbers, because the ACT test is what colleges have used for years to determine a student's readiness.

"We were using the old graduation exam, and we had 97 percent of our students passing, he added. "We wanted a more accurate picture of where we are. This is the reality."

In Montgomery, where on Tuesday school officials announced the district's graduation rate had surpassed 75 percent, the ACT scores provided a tough reality.

Those scores, which cover only Montgomery County and include general numbers for the state, show only 14 percent of the system's 11th-graders met the benchmark in math, 15 percent in science, 20 percent in social science and 38 percent in English composition.

The testing showed black students in MPS struggled the most, with just 3 percent meeting the readiness benchmark in all four categories; fewer than half of the white and Asian students, 45 percent of both, scored ready.

MPS students scored below the state averages in all four areas, with the largest discrepancy coming in English. Statewide numbers, which ALSDE would not confirm because they are still verifying numbers, show 48 percent of students scoring ready in English, 20 percent in algebra, 28 percent in social science and 22 percent in biology.

"It is my hope that the people of this community will view these results in a way that might benefit the children of this community," said MPS Superintendent Margaret Allen. "That is not an attempt to dismiss the results or what they mean, but I fear that what will happen is that so many people will use this as an opportunity to play politics with our children. What we have to do is figure out how we can help educate these children and do it."

Allen noted the unique challenges of MPS, where 80 percent of students receive free or reduced-price lunches and upwards of 70 percent live in defined poverty areas. Both have proven to be significant factors in determining the educational success of students, schools and entire systems, she said.

"I'm not making excuses, but at some point you have to acknowledge reality," Allen said. "We're working as hard as we can possibly work to look at where we are, how we got here, where we want to be and how we can get there."

Many of the problems begin early, the ACT Aspire results show. The Aspire tests measured students only in reading and math for grades 3 through 5 and 6 through 8.

Children in Montgomery's non-magnet elementary schools consistently failed to meet benchmarks in both areas and the tests showed a steady drop in math scores as students progressed.

In the third-graders tested, 41 percent met or exceeded the benchmark for math. That percentage dropped each of the next five years, with just 16 percent of eighth-graders meeting the standard. On the actual ACT test, of the 2,768 students tested, only 533 met or exceeded the benchmark.

On reading tests at Brewbaker Intermediate, Chisholm, Crump, Dannelly, Davis, Dozier, Fitzpatrick, Floyd, Highland Avenue, Highland Gardens, Johnson, King, Morningview, Morris, E.D. Nixon and Southlawn elementary schools, more than 80 percent of students at each failed to meet the benchmark.

"You have to keep in mind that this is a change in how we're testing and what we're asking of students," Bice said. "This change is part of the new (Alabama College and Career Ready) standards that was implemented. For too long, we've been asking students to memorize. Now, we're breaking down why and asking students to understand what they're learning. These tests measure that knowledge."

Bice said the best example of the change, as it relates to math, is that before students were asked to know that 3 is the square root of 9. "Now, we want students to be able to tell us why 3 is the square root of 9."

Districts across the state have been slowly easing into the new curriculum, which some have claimed is essentially in line with federal Common Core curriculum. MPS classrooms started with math three years ago and were fully implemented last year.

That means most districts, Montgomery's included, had only a short time to alter teaching methods and shape lesson plans. This first year of ACT results was meant to provide schools and teachers with a baseline assessment of where students were in relation to the new standards.

"I really hope people don't misinterpret these results," Allen said. "It's so different from what people are used to that I'm afraid I know what the outcome will be."

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Alabama eases requirements for out-of-state teachersDothan EagleJanuary 14, 2015Jim Cook

The Alabama State Department of Education has made it a little easier for out-of-state teachers to come work in Alabama.

The department recently eased certification requirements for out-of-state teachers. Under the old system, teachers from outside Alabama had to meet Alabama requirements for certification, even if they held valid teaching certificates in their home states. This largely consisted of taking Alabama tests for teachers.

Now teachers from out of state can obtain certification to teach here if they have certification in their home state and have passed that state’s testing requirements or if they have certification and have appropriate professional educational work experience in their home state.

Todd Weeks, interim Dothan City Schools superintendent, said the change would make the process of getting Alabama certification easier for teachers from out of state. Weeks said this will make hiring these teachers faster and more convenient and will broaden the pool of available educators. Weeks said getting a wider pool of teachers to choose from is important because of shortages among math, science and special education teachers.

Jayne Meyer, director of teacher education and certification, said certifying out-of-state teachers has never been a big problem for the state. Meyer said about 95 percent of out-of-state teachers who applied for certification last year got it. Last year the department issued 1,522 certificates to teachers from other states.

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Sidney Lanier, UAB form partnership to help studentsMontgomery AdvertiserJanuary 14, 2015Drew Taylor

Last fall, Principal Antonio Williams of Sidney Lanier High School realized that there were students interested in going into fields they had little to no knowledge about.

"Students would say 'I want to be a doctor,' but they didn't have the knowledge and the exposure to know what that actually meant," Williams said.

Williams decided that something needed to be done to meet that need.

"We knew it at that time it was very important for us to try and get someone here to partner with our students to expose them, to provide them with the knowledge they need and provide them with opportunity that they may not be afforded otherwise to help pursue their career choice," he said.

Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama BirminghamDr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama Birmingham professor and chief of thoracic surgery, speaks Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery about a partnership to help students who are interested in medical careers. The partnership will include the use of technology to provide supplemental materials for science courses and mentors for students. (Photo: , Shannon Heupel/Advertiser)Buy Photo FullscreenDr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama Birmingham Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama BirminghamStudents listen as Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama Birmingham Sidney Lanier 11th-grade student Quintavious Williams,

Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama Birmingham Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, University of Alabama Birmingham Students listen as Dr. Robert J. Cerfolio, UniversityNext SlideStarting this spring, Sidney Lanier High School and Dr. Robert Cerfolio, chief of thoracic surgery at the University of Alabama at Montgomery, will form a partnership that will allow

students interested in learning about the medical field to learn more about it by way of webinars, internship possibilities and mentor opportunities.

"I think the goal is to try to motivate young people to be the best that they can be," Cerfolio said. "It's really just to motivate people to see the opportunities around them and to be as good as they can be."

Cerfolio said part of the program would be getting interested students paired up with UAB doctors and to shadow them for a day to see what their day-to-day duties involve.

"We'll do whatever that student wants to do," Cerfolio said. "It's going to depend on that student, but we want to expose them to all of these options."

Cerfolio said he had been considering starting a program in the Birmingham area, but became excited about the opportunity to work with students and teachers at Sidney Lanier.

"I think you have a special set of circumstances that I think that we can maybe help," he said.

Sidney Lanier High School was founded in 1910 and serves over 800 students.

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Alabama adds almost 30,000 new Obamacare enrollees over 2014 totalsAl.comJanuary 14, 2015Brendan Kirby

With another month to go during the second open enrollment period under Obamacare, Alabama has experienced a net gain of newly 30,000 insurance policies on the federal government's online marketplace, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources.

Combined with the nearly 100,000 people who purchased health plans last year, Alabama now has 126,061 insurance customers under the Affordable Care Act.

Nationally, nearly 6.8 million are covered by a plan on the exchange.

"There are just over four weeks before the February 15 deadline and the end of Open Enrollment," Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said in a prepared statement. "For those who are thinking about getting health coverage, take a look at your options on HealthCare.gov or contact the call center."

Officials at the Arise Citizens' Policy Project, which advocates on behalf of the poor, said the figures released Wednesday demonstrate that people who obtained coverage last year mostly have paid their premiums and that word is spreading to people who did not sign up during the first go-round.

"We had a really good retention rate for 2014," said Jim Carnes, a senior policy analyst with the Montgomery-based group.

Carnes said that when the Affordable Care Act first took effect, Alabama had an estimated 300,000 people who qualified for coverage. Although the law has been in the news less during the second enrollment period, he said advocates have continued to target the uninsured and have been aided by the fact that the newly insured have reported positive experiences to their friends and relatives.

"It's awareness," he said. "I think this reflects a tremendous amount of hard work and enrollment outreach. ... There is no better PR, publicity, than word of mouth."

Carnes said 91 percent of new enrollees have qualified for a subsidy under the health law. That is even higher than the percentage who received assistance last year.

The enrollment period ends Feb. 15.

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Gov. Bentley's inaugural day prayer service cancelled; Jim Zeigler to host serviceAl.comJanuary 14, 2015Mike Cason MONTGOMERY, Alabama --- Planners for Gov. Robert Bentley's inauguration on Monday have cancelled a morning prayer service that was scheduled to begin the day's events because of a tight schedule.

Steve Bradley, spokesman for the inaugural committee, said the start of the swearing-in ceremony at 9 a.m. at the State Capitol made it impractical to hold the prayer service, which was scheduled for 7:30-8:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church. A practice run-through of the swearing-in is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.

"There just simply was not enough time to conduct the service," Bradley said.

Bentley's inauguration day in 2011 began with a prayer service. But Bradley said there was more time then because that swearing-in ceremony did not begin until 10:30 a.m.

State Auditor-elect Jim Zeigler announced this morning that he would host a prayer service on inaugural day. The service will be held at 7:30 a.m. at River City Church, 301 Dexter Avenue, a short walk from the Capitol.

John Killian, immediate past president of the Alabama State Baptist Convention, will be the speaker. The service is open to the public.

Bentley, Zeigler and the other constitutional officers will be sworn in beginning at 9 a.m. The inaugural parade follows at 11 a.m. A "Thank You Alabama" party with free barbecue begins at Cramton Bowl at noon.

An inaugural celebration will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Convention Center at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa. Tickets are required for that event and can be bought at the inauguration website.