Blog
Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Blog
Arise legislative recap: March 29, 2019
Lawmakers may have been on spring break this week, but we still have plenty to discuss in our second video update of the 2019 legislative session. Watch Arise organizing director Pres Harris discuss upcoming community forums on Medicaid expansion, as well as reminders on action you can take in anticipation of the Legislature reconvening [...]
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Arise legislative recap: March 22, 2019
We had a problem Tuesday – and we were glad to have it. So many people came to Arise Legislative Day that we couldn’t fit everyone in the State House’s largest committee room! Nearly 300 Arise supporters came to Montgomery to tell their lawmakers that it’s time to expand Medicaid. We appreciate everyone who showed [...]
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Good news on court fees from the Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would remove a barrier to justice for low-income Alabamians. SB 30, sponsored by Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, heads to the Senate, which could vote as soon as Thursday. (March 21 update: That's exactly what happened. The Senate voted 28-0 for the bill, which now [...]
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The CFPB should keep protections for payday borrowers
Borrowers across the country deserve stronger protections, not weaker ones. Unfortunately, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently decided to reopen its 2017 rulemaking on payday lending. And that move would put the financial health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk. The CFPB director seeks to eliminate a requirement for payday lenders to [...]
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What we’re watching during the 2019 special session
This week brought a first in recent memory at the Alabama Legislature: a session within a session. The regular session began Tuesday, but lawmakers have put it on hold until March 19 to make way for a special session on the state gas tax. At Gov. Kay Ivey’s call, legislators will consider a proposed 10-cent [...]
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How to advance our vision for Alabama’s next century
What kind of future do we want for Alabama? It’s a question worth reflecting on as our state enters its third century this year. Are we all right with limiting power and prosperity to a select few? Or would we rather build a state where everyone has a voice and where people of all races, [...]
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Court rulings aid push for reforms of civil asset forfeiture, death penalty
The U.S. Supreme Court sent clear signals in February that the time is ripe for reform on two of Arise’s 2019 issue priorities. In Timbs v. Indiana, the court unanimously blocked Indiana’s attempt to use civil asset forfeiture to take a car that was worth much more than the maximum fine for the crime for [...]
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Budget hearings show need for Alabama to expand Medicaid, boost public investments
Alabama needs to expand Medicaid and invest more in education and other human services. Those were key takeaways from this week’s state budget hearings in Montgomery. The hearings highlighted a range of policy challenges and illustrated the connections between many of them. We heard a lot of talk this week about the need to strengthen [...]
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How will the government shutdown affect SNAP food assistance in Alabama?
The partial federal government shutdown will enter its second month next week, and the stakes are high for Alabama families. Here are five things you need to know about how the shutdown will affect food assistance in Alabama: Most Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants will see their February 2019 benefits issued around Sunday, Jan. [...]
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Spread the word about our 2019 blueprint for change!
Alabama’s 2019 legislative session starts March 5, and Arise is excited to keep working to make life better for people across our state. We think Medicaid expansion, public transportation and our other priority issues offer a blueprint for real change in Alabama. You can help spread the word and build support for these changes. So [...]