Ralph Chapoco - reporter

05/06/2026

“Dad would be like, ‘Boy, don’t walk around this house like you hit a triple. You were born on third base. You drink deeply from wells of freedom and liberty that you didn’t dig. You eat lavishly from banquet tables prepared for you by your ancestors’” – Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey.

02/17/2026

Read all about it: Alabama Power officially neutral, but a recorded phone conversation reveals they would prefer that the Public Service Commission, the state agency that regulates the company, have members that are appointed by the Governor instead of through elections.

The lobbyist said that the company could not publicly support the legislation but that it had elements that would be beneficial.

02/13/2026

Read all about it: Alabama House of Representatives approves bill that further penalizes people for driving under the influence.

https://alabamareflector.com/briefs/alabama-house-approves-harsher-punishments-for-driving-under-the-influence/

Thanks to Zephyr with The Alabama Channel for helping me find the video.

https://alabamachannel.ompnetwork.org/embed/sessions/335063/alabama-house

02/13/2026

Read all about it: Bill to appoint commissioners to the Alabama Public Service Commission stalls in the House of Representatives because of lack of support in the Senate.

https://alabamareflector.com/2026/02/12/alabama-house-pulls-bill-ending-public-service-commission-elections-prior-to-vote/

See it on The Alabama Channel.

https://alabamachannel.ompnetwork.org/embed/sessions/335063/alabama-house

02/13/2026

Read all about it: Alabama Legislature tries to implement criminal justice reforms for pregnant women who are either incarcerated or about to be incarcerated.

https://alabamareflector.com/2026/02/12/alabama-house-bill-would-allow-probation-for-incarcerated-pregnant-women/

See it with the The Alabama Channel.

https://alabamachannel.ompnetwork.org/embed/sessions/335014/alabama-house-judiciary-committee

02/11/2026

Read all about it: Legislation that changes the process for selecting the board that regulates public utilities one step closer to becoming reality.

Watch it on the The Alabama Channel.

https://alabamachannel.ompnetwork.org/embed/sessions/334733/alabama-house-transportation-utilities-and-infrastructure-committee

Read about it on the Alabama Reflector:

https://alabamareflector.com/2026/02/10/house-committee-approves-bill-that-would-end-elections-of-public-service-commission-members/

The bill would the Governor's Office to appoint people from a list submitted by the Speaker of the House and Senate pro tem.

02/05/2026

Read all about it at the Alabama Reflector: https://alabamareflector.com/2026/02/05/alabama-parole-board-would-have-to-consider-applicants-attainments-under-house-bill/

After trying to enact changes with the parole board, Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, manages to convince his fellow lawmakers on the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee to go along with incremental modifications to the standard.

See the meeting below courtesy of the The Alabama Channel:

https://www.thealabamachannel.org/legislative-session-meetings

The bill would require the parole board to consider people's employment, education and the risk profile of people while in prison.