Category: Blog

Arise celebrates progress, vows to keep pushing after 2026 session

By David Stout

Alabama Arise, with great support from our members, recently completed another successful legislative session. Our shared advocacy helped ensure funding for critical anti-hunger programs and new laws on parole reform and voting rights restoration. We also worked together to stop or reduce the harms of bad legislation.

Here is a look at what happened with key bills and programs this year.

Hunger relief

Arise advocacy shored up funding for important anti-hunger programs for Alabama children. Thanks to nearly 700 contacts from Arise supporters, lawmakers agreed to provide $7.3 million to keep funding an expansion of the state’s no-cost school breakfast program that began last year. Legislators also continued funding for Summer EBT, known as SUN Bucks in Alabama. This summer meal program serves more than 500,000 children across our state.

Lawmakers unfortunately enacted SB 57 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, which will limit food choice for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But Arise advocacy helped make those limits narrower than they otherwise would have been.

Arise supporters also successfully opposed Orr’s SB 61. The bill would have imposed burdensome eligibility requirements for Medicaid and SNAP participants and would have reduced or eliminated food assistance for some SNAP participants.

Tax reform

Efforts to continue reducing the total state sales tax on groceries received a boost when the Legislature passed HB 527 by Rep. James Lomax, R-Huntsville. The law will give Alabamians a one-time, two-month state grocery tax holiday from May 1 through June 30. We hope this will build momentum for lawmakers to eliminate the state grocery tax for good next year.

Lawmakers protected Medicaid funding this year by passing SB 143 and SB 145, both by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore. These laws permanently renew the state’s nursing home and hospital provider taxes, respectively.

Justice reform

Arise successfully supported two justice reforms aimed at giving people eligible for parole a fairer chance at their hearings. HB 86 by Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, will change guidelines to require the Board of Pardons and Paroles to consider applicants’ education, employment and low risk of reoffense. Another new law, SB 254 by Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville, will give the parole board discretion over minor parole violations rather than automatically returning a person to prison.

A bill to allow incarcerated people to participate remotely in their parole hearings came heartbreakingly close to becoming law. SB 240 by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, would have ensured the parole board could see or hear the person eligible for parole. It also would have allowed victims’ families to join virtually rather than having to travel to an in-person hearing. The bill passed both the House and Senate but died when the Legislature ended the session before accepting a proposed amendment from the governor.

Inclusive democracy

Arise members met the challenge to help protect the public’s voice at the Public Service Commission (PSC). Early in the session, a House committee quickly advanced HB 392 by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger’s Island, which would have changed the PSC from an elected body to one appointed by the governor. The bill also sought to allow the governor to appoint an energy secretary with power to set the PSC’s agenda.

Arise supporters joined a statewide groundswell of opposition that killed the bill. Late in the session, though, lawmakers amended and passed HB 475 – over the sponsor’s objection – to create the energy secretary position. And they sadly removed good language that would have required formal rate hearings every three years.

HB 475 will expand the PSC from three members elected statewide to seven elected by congressional districts. Based on district demographics, a real possibility exists for two Black members to be elected to the PSC – a first in Alabama.

Sometimes victory looks like preventing a bad bill from passing. That was the case with HB 13 by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity. The bill would have burdened many localities with enforcing federal immigration law. It also would have discouraged many victims living in immigrant communities from reporting crimes for fear of retaliation.

We celebrated progress on two voting rights bills this year. Lawmakers enacted SB 24 by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, to streamline applications and notifications for formerly incarcerated people to restore their voting rights. And late in the session, HB 486 by Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, won approval from the House Judiciary Committee. HB 486, known as the Alabama Voting Rights Act, is a comprehensive bill that would expand voting opportunities. We hope this is the first step toward expanding voting protections and voting rights in Alabama.

Adequate state budgets

State budgets were essentially flat, with most expenditures virtually the same as in the previous year. While the Education Trust Fund (ETF) is relatively healthy, the state General Fund (GF) struggles to meet its ongoing obligations. The GF funds non-education services like Medicaid and corrections.

Lawmakers may find it especially difficult next year to craft the GF budget for fiscal year 2028 without additional revenue. A notable challenge will be securing up to $261 million that Alabama may need to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits due to a federal cost shift under the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The CHOOSE Act, which gives parents up to $7,000 per student annually to attend private schools, is a threat to the ETF. Originally, tax credit eligibility was limited by income. But starting in 2027, any student can receive these vouchers regardless of income. Fully implemented, these credits could cost public schools almost $500 million.

Arise celebrated progress on public transportation this year with the enactment of SB 185 by Coleman-Madison. This law will create a pilot public-private partnership in Jefferson County to expand and improve public transportation and provide more residents with transportation to work. This innovative program will open doors for the state Department of Transportation to begin funding public transportation.

Health equity

Gov. Kay Ivey and the Legislature still refuse to expand Medicaid to cover adults with low incomes. But the healthcare news wasn’t all bad this year. Two new laws will require insurers to cover screenings for breast cancer and prostate cancer at no cost to patients.

HB 642 by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, would have guaranteed the right to contraception and added necessary protections for participants in IVF programs. We expect this legislation, filed late in the session, to be reintroduced in the 2027 legislative session. 

We will stand strong for inclusive democracy

By Robyn Hyden

The U.S. Supreme Court struck a blow against inclusive democracy on April 29, gutting Voting Rights Act provisions that protect Black and Hispanic voters against efforts to dilute their voting power. That ruling will affect Alabamians directly.

Louisiana v. Callais further entrenches power in the hands of the few. It imperils the diversity of our elected bodies and representation of all communities. Many fair districts likely will vanish as legislatures gut representation for voters of color without checks from the courts.

Legislators rushed back to Montgomery for a special session in early May to pass laws that set the stage for redrawing Alabama’s U.S. House and state Senate maps at the 11th hour, even though some voters already have cast absentee ballots in the upcoming primary election. Know that Alabama Arise will stand with all of you to oppose any efforts to remove fair representation.

Now is a good time to check your voter registration and polling place, and make sure your friends are ready to vote. The enclosed election guide outlines key information for upcoming elections and some questions you should ask your candidates. Arise also will release a nonpartisan voter guide this year to highlight incumbent lawmakers’ positions.

Healthcare, food aid still may be at risk of further federal funding cuts

By Debbie Smith

Healthcare and hunger relief programs may avoid further harmful federal cuts this year. But Alabama Arise members should remain vigilant and keep speaking out against proposed cuts, both now and in the future.

Congress is moving quickly on a budget reconciliation bill, with leadership aiming to pass it by June 1. Senate Republicans on April 21 introduced a proposal that excludes spending cuts and narrowly focuses on funding for ICE and the Border Patrol. However, we worry that other lawmakers may push for cuts to health coverage or food assistance. This could put healthcare and food access at risk for millions of Americans, including here in Alabama.

Budget reconciliation bypasses the Senate filibuster and allows legislation to pass with a simple majority. This means decisions with far-reaching consequences could move quickly, with limited opportunity for debate or compromise. This is the same process used last year to make major nationwide cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, under HR 1, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Further cuts would hurt those with greatest needs

Medicaid plays an important role in providing health coverage to those who need it most in Alabama. The program primarily serves children, seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women. Alabama already operates one of the country’s most bare-bones Medicaid programs. Our program has little to no room for cuts without directly impacting people who rely on it for life-saving care.

Because we have not yet expanded Medicaid to cover adults with low incomes, Alabama largely avoided major Medicaid cuts under HR 1. While that softened the immediate impact, it also means further cuts would fall squarely on Alabamians with the greatest needs. That includes children who rely on routine care, seniors in nursing homes, and individuals with disabilities who depend on consistent treatment and support.

Cover Alabama Advocacy Day attendees gather for a workshop session to discuss challenges and solutions for Alabama’s healthcare system. (Arise staff)

Alabama’s healthcare system is under strain

Other parts of the healthcare system are also under strain. Congress allowed enhanced Premium Tax Credits for Healthcare.gov coverage to expire in December, making Marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) more expensive. At least 20,000 fewer Alabamians enrolled in these plans in 2026 as a result. Many who enrolled had to select a lower-quality plan with higher out-of-pocket costs to stay insured.

This increase in the uninsured and underinsured population harms our whole healthcare system. Hospitals, especially in rural areas, face growing financial pressure as they provide care to more uninsured patients while receiving less reimbursement.

These challenges are interconnected. When people lose coverage, they often delay care until conditions worsen. That leads to more serious health issues and higher costs down the line. Hospitals absorb much of this burden. And in communities where margins are already thin, this can threaten access to care for everyone. More cuts to Medicaid or ACA coverage would only deepen these problems.

Your voice matters

This is a critical moment. Congress is acting quickly, and the outcome will have lasting consequences for Alabama families and communities. That is why your voice matters right now. Lawmakers need to hear directly from you about the importance of protecting access to food and healthcare.

Please take action today. Contact your members of Congress and tell them to oppose any cuts to food assistance, Medicaid and ACA coverage. The health and well-being of our communities depend on it.

Alabama Arise and partners are building worker power across our state

By Adam Keller

Alabama Arise members last fall adopted worker power as the newest legislative priority in our fight for a better Alabama for all. And around the state, everyday people across industries, communities and faith traditions are coming together to build something bigger than any particular bill or policy: a movement for worker power and economic justice.

Arise’s Worker Power Campaign aims to strengthen the voice of workers in every part of public life. While we respond to bills affecting workers’ rights and conditions during the legislative session, the campaign also works year-round to build relationships, educate communities and support workers fighting for dignity on the job.

Multiple ways you can get involved

That work is taking many forms. We were proud to join labor and community partners with Recall Injustice at Hyundai-Kia last fall in fighting for better and safer jobs in the auto supply chain, which has a huge and significant presence in Alabama. We’re participating in the AFL-CIO “Labor in the Pulpit” program, where labor leaders speak with congregations about the shared values and power of faith and labor. We hope congregations and faith-based member groups will consider working with us on these and other engagements to build bonds around the dignity that Alabama workers deserve.

Arise’s Adam Keller holds a sign alongside fellow members of the Good Neighbors Alabama coalition at the Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma in March. (Photo courtesy of Good Neighbors Alabama)

Our campaign is spreading working-class solidarity online and in person, from rallies and conferences to small groups and one-on-ones. We’ve been traveling the state to engage with many important groups, including the Good Neighbors Alabama coalition and Jobs to Move America, Alabama Poor People’s Campaign, Alabama State Council of Machinists, United Campus Workers of Alabama, Communications Workers of America, Alabama Historical Association, League of Women Voters of Alabama, North Alabama Area Labor Council and more.

These conversations help connect workplace struggles to broader fights for economic justice and democracy. And the work is just getting started.

We’re organizing alongside partners to lift up key dates like Workers Memorial Day to highlight workers’ contributions and the importance of standing together for fair wages, safe workplaces and the freedom to organize. And we’re excited about our new partnership with Public School Strong and the potential to expand advocacy for the public education that our students, educators and communities deserve.

Building worker power isn’t just about what happens at the Legislature. It’s about strengthening the relationships, solidarity and collective action that make change possible, from the State House to the shop floor and beyond. With your continued help, we’re making it happen!

Natalie Bishnoi wants to know your sign – and your dreams for Alabama

By Whitney Washington

Alabama Arise has had an inclusive membership model from the start. We long have encouraged individuals to join Arise, but our organization began nearly four decades ago as a coalition of member groups. The operations team representative who supports relationships with these member groups is Arise development associate Natalie Bishnoi.

Natalie, a Huntsville native, joined Arise after years of volunteer advocacy work and a tenure at the Food Bank of North Alabama. There, she co-managed a regional food hub, working with Alabama farmers. Later, she helped lead several programs focused on food access across an 11-county region. 

“Much of my work centered on building relationships between farmers, schools and community partners, and strengthening the local food system in Alabama,” she said.

Relationships are Natalie’s work

Natalie’s work at Arise also focuses on building relationships. In her role, she gets to see some of the inner workings of Arise’s more than 150 member groups. Those insights inspire her to think big about what we can achieve together, she said.

“Being connected to so many groups and individuals working toward systemic change has really expanded my perspective on what’s possible,” she said.

Besides her work with community groups, Natalie leads Arise’s grant writing as well. 

“Being part of the effort that has helped secure funding for Arise has been meaningful,” she said, “especially knowing those resources help support member-led advocacy across the state.”

New ways of connecting

Natalie said she is excited to help Arise continue to develop its member outreach.

“We’re developing ways to better understand how groups are connecting with Arise and where we can grow,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to make sure we’re meeting members where they are and supporting them more effectively.”

For the future, Natalie said she wants to see Arise stay grounded in its member-led foundation. She also wants to see us do even more to engage folks who may not have been part of advocacy spaces before.

“I care deeply about people, and I’m really curious about what shapes their experiences,” she said. “That shows up in my work, in my advocacy, and even in something a little offbeat like astrology. If we spend enough time together, I will probably ask for your birth details to run your chart.” (For the record, Natalie is a Taurus.)

Using nature to help rest and reset

Though Natalie’s job doesn’t intersect with Arise’s policy work on a daily basis, she said she is quite familiar with what goes on at the State House. Asked to describe the 2026 regular session in three words, she said, “As a loquacious person, this is difficult, but I will try: Quick. Challenging. Hopeful.”

All Arise staff members feel the challenges of working for long-term structural change, often in a difficult environment. Natalie said she is intentional about trying to find time to rest, connect with nature and model healthy behaviors for her kids.

“My birthday is on Earth Day, and I’ve always felt a strong connection to nature and getting outside is one of the best ways for me to reset,” she said.

Natalie said she also values getting to spend time with her community in Huntsville. 

“Annual events, like the Panoply Arts Festival, Microwave Dave Day and Porch Fest, are some of my favorites, because they bring people together and highlight so much local talent,” she said.

Arise members make Natalie’s work possible. She encourages members to stay connected by donating to both Arise and Alabama Arise Action, our 501(c)(4) partner organization, to sustain our policy and legislative work. 

“But just as important is staying engaged,” she said. “Responding to action alerts, contacting your representatives and sharing your lived experiences all contribute to making a real difference.”

Join us this summer for listening sessions!

By Presdelane Harris

Listening is both a value and a process. It is foundational to Alabama Arise’s approach to shaping and advancing policies that matter most to those marginalized by poverty. 

Arise depends on what we hear each year to help guide our work toward a better Alabama. We want to hear from you and others in communities around the state. Arise membership is not required for us to come and listen to your concerns and hopes. 

We listen so that we can work together more strategically to make positive change happen. Watch your email inbox for information on summer listening sessions happening across Alabama.

Please contact an Arise regional organizer to set up a virtual or in-person session in your community this summer! We also are glad to host a workshop on the new Alabama Tax and Budget Handbook in your area.

Two organizations, one mission

By Jacob Smith

At Alabama Arise, our work never stops! We just wrapped another busy legislative session where we focused on supporting bills that help Alabamians and fighting those that don’t. And Arise staff will be all over the state this summer connecting with people like you.

You may not realize it, but when you join Arise, you’re getting the benefit of two organizations: Alabama Arise, a 501(c)(3) group, and Alabama Arise Action, a 501(c)(4). Those technical designations may not mean much to you, but they allow us to maximize your membership.

With Alabama Arise, we invite you to attend our Annual Meeting, listening sessions and advocacy trainings. With Arise Action, you can join us at Legislative Day and in taking action on key bills. Each organization helps realize our shared vision of a better Alabama.

Will you consider making a gift to help both organizations continue and grow their respective work? Your gift to Alabama Arise is tax-deductible. While your gift to Arise Action is not, it does increase your power, including by funding lobbying for the people.

Thank you for your membership! If you have any questions, please email me at jacob@alarise.org.

Check out Arise’s new Alabama Tax and Budget Handbook!

By Chris Sanders

All Alabamians should have the resources they need to reach their potential and ensure a healthy, secure future. To realize that vision, we must make our state’s upside-down tax system more equitable. And we must secure adequate funding for unmet vital needs like Medicaid expansion and public transportation.

Alabama Arise’s new 2026 edition of The Alabama Tax and Budget Handbook explains how we can achieve those goals together. Packed with colorful graphs and illustrations, the handbook helps Alabamians better understand how budgets and taxes affect their everyday lives. It highlights how the state pays for key public services that benefit all of us, and it walks readers through how Alabama’s budgets become law each year.

Cover image of The Alabama Tax and Budget Handbook

The handbook also suggests dozens of policy changes to improve Alabama’s tax system and to ensure adequate funding for essential services like education and healthcare. Key recommendations include:

  • Update the sales tax on goods and services, including eliminating the grocery tax.
  • Make the income tax more progressive by increasing the standard deduction and establishing a state Earned Income Tax Credit.
  • Eliminate the federal income tax deduction, a skewed tax break that overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest households.
  • Increase overall property tax rates while increasing the homestead exemption to protect homeowners with low incomes.
  • Enhance budgetary flexibility through gradual earmarking reform.

Visit alarise.org/taxandbudgethandbook to read the handbook and request a print copy today.

Alabama should expand healthy food access. SB 57 isn’t the answer.

By LaTrell Clifford Wood

Alabama should not be in the business of telling people what to eat simply because they have low incomes. But SB 57 proposes to do just that. The bill would limit food choice for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, by forbidding the use of SNAP benefits to purchase candy or soft drinks.

SB 57 would stigmatize Alabamians with low incomes. It would do nothing to remove the structural barriers that limit access to healthy food for many families. And it would cost state agencies millions of dollars.

The bill would require Alabama to apply to the federal government for an exemption (or waiver) from the standard definition for SNAP-eligible foods under federal law. Twenty-two other states have received similar waivers. Now, five consumers are suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, over the waivers it approved for five states. The plaintiffs argue that such waivers could narrow the definition of food without considering factors that can lead to infrastructural blockades to food access beyond the control of individuals. 

Alabama Arise members set our legislative agenda, and they voted overwhelmingly for us to oppose proposals, like SB 57, that limit the purchasing choices of Alabama families. We urge lawmakers to vote “no” on SB 57 and invest instead in no-cost school breakfast, Double Up SNAP Bucks and other policies that actually would advance health and nutrition for people across our state.

Read my testimony against SB 57 before a House committee for more on why Arise opposes this bill.

What this bill would do – and what we could do instead

SB 57 would penalize and patronize Alabamians with low incomes based on a false narrative about the factors that drive public health. It would limit food choice for hundreds of thousands of consumers, with no consideration for their individual circumstances. And it would force our state to pay millions of dollars to do so.

The Legislative Services Agency estimated that SB 57 would saddle taxpayers and state departments with a $10.6 million cost. In return, the state would increase complexity for retailers and leave many families at risk of seeing lower food access in their communities through no fault of their own.

As Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, asked during the House committee debate on the bill: “If we’re having a large amount of money to spend, wouldn’t it make sense that we would be providing an opportunity for eating healthier?” Here are three examples of things Alabama could do instead with that $10.6 million to improve healthy food access:

  • Use the same $10.6 million to help ensure that every Alabama public school student has access to a no-cost school breakfast. Alabama has shown more growth in fourth-grade math than any other state since 2019, according to the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA). We have seen access to no-cost school meals nearly double in the same period.
  • Increase the capacity of the Double Up Bucks program, which incentivizes fresh produce purchases for SNAP participants and supports our local farmers. State budgets for 2027 do not yet include funding for this program.
  • Restore funding for SNAP-Ed, a program that was cut by HR 1. SNAP-Ed provides free learning opportunities for SNAP participants about how to shop for and prepare healthy meals.

How SB 57 could harm the economy and send SNAP costs soaring

Instead of making important investments to improve food access, SB 57 would add red tape for retailers across our state. The bill includes a three-strike rule, which would allow retailers only three accidental acceptances per fiscal year before any “punishment,” as administered by the USDA Office of Retailer Operations and Compliance.

This provision could threaten revenue losses for 5,000 SNAP-authorized retailers across Alabama. It could even jeopardize the ability for many stores to accept SNAP or EBT altogether.

How SB 57 could increase SNAP costs and harm older adults in Alabama

In addition, SB 57 could increase the harm that Alabama faces as a result of HR 1, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act – or what I call one hell of an ugly bill. Alabama will have to appropriate an estimated $174 million or more to address HR 1’s shift of SNAP benefit costs to states, based on error rates. If the state does not allocate those matching funds, SNAP benefits could be reduced or disappear entirely for more than 750,000 participants across Alabama.

Often mistaken as a measure of fraud, the error rate is determined using a USDA assessment of a sample of 1,000 SNAP-eligible households per state. USDA staff calculate the number of underpayments or overpayments made to SNAP users by the state agency managing SNAP. In Alabama, that agency is the Department of Human Resources (DHR). This bill would divert some of DHR’s attention away from efforts to reduce the error rate in the name of an experimental pilot program over which several other states are suing the USDA. The risks of this experiment would include increased SNAP costs and potential litigation costs.

We know that food-insecure seniors who participate in SNAP are 46% less likely to be hospitalized than non-participating seniors with low incomes. This bill puts that access at greater risk. We also know that SNAP participants eat a better diet, more frequently access preventative health care, adhere to medication, experience fewer hospitalizations and ER visits, and have lower health care costs for older adults.

Why would SB 57 not really address health? Access to healthy food is a structural issue 

On the surface, it might seem as though SB 57 would improve the health of Alabamians with low incomes. Some legislators referenced obesity as a sort of flat concept, solely correlated to soft drinks and candy. However, getting to the root of a public health issue is almost never that simple.

When you think of SB 57, I want you to imagine getting in a car and expecting to drive to France from Florence, Ala. Would you make it there? No. Why? Because the built world, or infrastructure around you, does not support the vehicle. The same is true for communities that have limited food access due to factors like affordability and transportation.

SB 57’s definitions draw many arbitrary lines. Most chewing gum, for example, is sweetened with Aspartame instead of sugar, so it still would be SNAP-eligible based on SB 57’s current text. And more to the point, making some foods more unaffordable does not make other food more affordable.

‘Do not legislate dignity away from Alabamians’

Some legislators, including Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said they found the bill patronizing in principle. “I see this really as a discrimination against SNAP recipients,” Warren said during a House committee discussion of the bill.

Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Mobile, emphasized the cost vs. the benefit of the bill in its current form. “I just don’t understand why we have to always legislate things all the way down to a person’s grocery basket as if it’s really going to fix a major overall obesity problem,” Bracy said.

Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, said protecting food choice for SNAP participants is a matter of fundamental respect. “It’s important … that we do not legislate dignity away from Alabamians,” Stewart said.

Ultimately, members of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee approved the bill on March 18. But the decision came only after an agreement not to schedule a House vote on it until many members’ concerns are resolved.

“[We are simply] not ready … to move forward on this,” said Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, who chairs the committee. “There’s just too many issues. We’re seeing lawsuits in other states. A lot of that’s got to do with the administrative ability to move this bill forward.”

Who might SB 57 impact?

  • Alabamians with low incomes
  • Retailers across Alabama, especially in small towns and rural areas
  • DHR and other state agencies
  • Potentially anyone who buys candy or soda

What should our legislators do instead?

To get to the root of the problem of healthy food access, we must start by asking the real questions:

  • Why do some Alabamians struggle to access healthy food?
  • Why do some Alabamians lack the resources to eat healthy?
  • What policy choices underlie poverty in Alabama?
  • Why are legislators not incentivized to improve the common good?

Many of our legislators unfortunately are not asking and working to answer these questions. But in the meantime, they still can do better.

Lawmakers should vote “no” on SB 57 and use any additional funds to support a full $14 million appropriation to provide a no-cost school breakfast for every child in Alabama’s public schools. We know that since 2019, access to no-cost meals has doubled in Alabama. In that time, reading and math scores across the state have improved for children across all household income levels.

Greater access to school meals helps improve student behavior and learning and reduces absenteeism, reducing the risk of incarceration. With streamlined funding for school breakfast local school districts have less paperwork and administrative costs. Moreover, continuing and increasing state investment in access to no-cost school breakfast supports local farmers and helps schools serve more local produce.

We must remove barriers to food access for Alabama communities

As an undergraduate student at Stillman College, I helped to co-found a sustainable healthy food initiative in west Tuscaloosa, because my campus was situated in what some social scientists call a food desert. Food Insecurity is not natural, but it is determined by your environment.

The intentional separation of people from resources is the result of a built world that does not support the presence of those resources. Before the 1960s, Stillman was a farm worked by students from the Black Belt, because no one would sell food to The Colored Institute.

As an Academic Scholar on a full-ride scholarship, it was my first time having access to breakfast, lunch and dinner in many years, so I work to repay that. Frankly, It is disrespectful to leverage the desperation that communities face as a result of our built world to pass harmful legislation like SB 57. Our lawmakers can and should do better for Alabama.

What we know so far about bills affecting Alabama workers in 2026

By Adam Keller

The Legislature’s 2026 regular session is well underway, and Alabama Arise is hard at work monitoring bills and advocating for better policy for the working people of Alabama. Below is an overview of some of that legislation and information about how Arise is working to build a better, more inclusive future for our state.

For a closer look at some of the major issues we’re tracking related to worker power, check out my colleague Dev Wakeley’s new fact sheet and be sure to share it around. And don’t forget to register for Alabama Arise Action’s Legislative Day on Feb. 24. Arise members and allies from across the state will gather at the State House in Montgomery that day to promote our agenda for a better Alabama for all. Space is limited, so please register by Feb. 12.

Icy weather may have slowed things down a bit in the early days of the legislative session, but we still have seen the introduction of numerous bills that are concerning for working folks. Some lawmakers are doubling down on a broken criminal justice system, attacks on food assistance and health coverage, and harmful proposals targeting our immigrant brothers and sisters. We are also seeing more proposed tax breaks for industry, even as our state continues to tax food and other necessities for families.

Bills of concern

We have seen multiple bills that would expand tax breaks for the poultry industry. Another industry-specific tax break proposal is HB 185 by Rep. Brock Colvin, R-Albertville. This bill would exempt certain general aviation aircraft and any machinery or equipment installed on these aircraft from ad valorem taxes. The fiscal note anticipates HB 185 would cost Alabama more than $11 million. For reference, it would only cost $14.3 million to provide no-cost school breakfast to every child in Alabama public schools.

The Alabama Rivers Alliance, Energy Alabama and other partners have been fighting HB 162 by Rep. Troy Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, and SB 71 by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva. These bills would weaken the state’s ability to implement the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act and protect workers and communities from toxic chemicals.

Another troubling proposal appears in HB 392 by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Mobile, and SB 268 by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro. These bills would transform the Public Service Commission from a board elected by the public to one appointed by the governor and Legislature. This proposal is raising concerns among numerous Arise member groups and allies, and the House bill will be up for a committee vote on Tuesday.

HB 169 by Rep. Jamie Kiel, R-Russellville, and SB 27 by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, would restructure the Department of Archives’ board of trustees. This legislation has raised concerns among historians, academics and community members about potential impacts on the preservation and discussion of history related to movements for racial justice and workers’ rights, among other issues. SB 137 by Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, would establish a state Resilience Council to help prepare for and respond to disasters. If the bill becomes law, it is critical that working people be represented on this council.

Legislation to increase accountability for companies receiving tax incentives

The news isn’t all bad. Lawmakers also have filed many bills aimed at helping working folks.

Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, has filed two good bills related to worker power. The first is HB 346, which is the so-called clawback bill that you may have heard us talk about for the last couple years. This legislation would allow Alabama to claw back tax incentives from companies that violate child labor or human trafficking laws. Considering how few strings typically are attached to these incentive deals, this bill would be a critical step in the right direction. HB 346 is in the House State Government Committee.

Another good bill by Rafferty is HB 352, which is in the same committee. This bill would require any company receiving an economic tax incentive under the Alabama Jobs Act to guarantee numerous important worker protections. These companies would have to certify they do not require overtime or weekend work, do not practice shift rotation and do not require off-the-clock work. The companies also would have to confirm they guarantee a full work week, provide emergency leave and do not count the time an employee spends transitioning to or from a bathroom or breakroom to count toward the employee’s allotted break time.

Opportunities to improve workers’ rights and working conditions

Health equity and workers’ rights intersect with HB 290 by Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham. This bill would ensure employers are required to provide a location and break time for employees to express breast milk, building on important federal legislation passed a few years ago. HB 290 has received House committee approval and awaits a vote on the House floor.

Several other bills also caught my eye:

  • HB 14 by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Madison, would establish a process for citizen ballot initiatives, which have been an important avenue for advancing pro-worker policies in other states.
  • Public school employees may be interested in HB 62 by Rep. Ontario Tillman, D-Birmingham, which would allow for twice-a-month pay. (Public education workers are now paid monthly.)
  • Rep. Patrick Sellers, D-Pleasant Grove, is sponsoring HB 21, the Parental Right to Participate in Schools Act. This bill would permit employees who are parents or guardians to take time off work to attend their children’s school-related activities.

A chance to increase the minimum wage

Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, has filed SB 171, alongside several Democratic co-sponsors. This bill would establish a state minimum wage, which Alabama does not have. SB 171 would set the minimum at $10 per hour starting on Jan. 1, 2027, with exemptions for businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

With no state minimum wage law, Alabama relies on the federal minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 and $2.13 an hour for tipped employees since 2009. It’s been nearly 17 years since Congress raised the federal minimum wage. While many states and cities across the country have raised their minimum wages steadily since then, the only related action we’ve seen in Alabama was the Legislature preempting cities from raising it, in response to Birmingham’s efforts to increase the city’s minimum wage in 2016.

What you can do to help

I’m very grateful for my colleagues at Alabama Arise working on health equity, hunger relief, inclusive democracy, justice reform, tax reform and the budgets. You can follow our bills of interest to see exactly which bills Arise is monitoring and actively lobbying for or against. Make sure your membership is up to date so you can receive the full weekly legislative updates from our team, as well as timely action alerts on bills where we need your voice. You can join with a donation of any amount – or if you can’t afford to make a gift right now, you ask about joining for free through our gift membership program.

Be sure to stay in touch with your representative and senator. They hear from a lot of special interest groups, so it’s important they hear from everyday people as well. Please consider participating in Arise’s Legislative Day in Montgomery later this month. And if you can’t be there in person, please do what you can by contacting your lawmakers and educating your friends, neighbors and coworkers.

For more worker power updates, please note your interest here. Thank you for your support of Arise.

Solidarity forever,

Adam Keller

Worker Power Campaign director, Alabama Arise

P.S. Curious about how else Alabama lawmakers could increase worker power? Check out the Economic Policy Institute’s great resource on state solutions to protect workers!