Connect with us

News from the South - Alabama News Feed

Alabama Senate committee OKs bill expanding religious exemptions from vaccinations

Published

on

alabamareflector.com – Anna Barrett – 2025-03-05 17:59:00

Alabama Senate committee OKs bill expanding religious exemptions from vaccinations

by Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
March 5, 2025

An Alabama Senate committee Wednesday approved a bill that allows parents to claim a religious exemption from vaccination without providing an explanation or allowing a public body to evaluate the claim. 

SB 85, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, also explicitly allows students at colleges and universities to declare themselves religiously exempt from vaccinations. 

“The experience has been many times in these offices, the mom or dad or whoever has taken the child, gets asked about their religious beliefs,” Orr said.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

SUBSCRIBE

The legislation also removes language that suspended religious exemptions in the presence of an epidemic “or immediate threat thereof.” Apriell Hartsfield, a policy analyst with Voices for Alabama Children, the lone speaker at the public hearing, opposed the legislation. 

“We fear that this bill will needlessly impact many vulnerable children whose health is already at risk and they are not able to get vaccinations,” she said.

In Texas, one child died from measles on Feb. 25, a previously dormant disease, due to an outbreak that infected mostly unvaccinated children. According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 159 measles cases so far with five of the infected being vaccinated with at least one dose.

Alabama public health officials have voiced fears about dropping vaccination rates in the state. The state’s measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rate fell below 94% in 2022-23. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 95% of the population needs to be immunized to achieve herd immunity. 

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, said unvaccinated children should be kept at home. 

“If you don’t want your child to get the vaccine, then they need to be at home with Zoom,” he said.

Orr said unvaccinated children should not be a threat to public schools and vaccinated children.

“That’s the point of vaccines. If you’re vaccinated, what’s your worry?” Orr said. 

Orr said Alabama should respect a parent’s decision to not vaccinate their child.

“Fundamentally, if you do have a religious objection, I think that this state and our constitution wants to respect that and not subject parents to being subjected to an inquisition,” Orr said.

The bill received a favorable report, with Smitherman and Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, abstaining. It now goes to the full Senate. 

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.

SUPPORT

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post Alabama Senate committee OKs bill expanding religious exemptions from vaccinations appeared first on alabamareflector.com

News from the South - Alabama News Feed

Wendy Bailey to appear in court on charges related to her son's death

Published

on

www.youtube.com – WVTM 13 News – 2025-04-08 22:43:28

SUMMARY: Wendy Bailey is set to appear in court regarding the death of her one-year-old son, Caleb Collins, who is still missing. Authorities allege that Caleb’s father, Stephen Collins, killed him and disposed of his body. Wendy faces charges including aggravated child abuse, domestic violence, abuse of a corpse, and criminally negligent homicide related to the death of her two-year-old daughter, Riley, in a crash caused by Stephen while driving aggressively. Disturbing messages between the couple have surfaced, revealing threats to Caleb. Both Wendy and John Bailey, Caleb’s guardian, are in jail without bond and will attend a preliminary hearing tomorrow.

YouTube video

Wendy Bailey to appear in court on charges related to her son’s death

Subscribe to WVTM on YouTube now for more: https://bit.ly/2jvAaUD

Get more Birmingham news: http://www.wvtm13.com
Like us: https://www.facebook.com/WVTM13/
Follow us: https://twitter.com/WVTM13
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wvtm13/

Source

Continue Reading

News from the South - Alabama News Feed

Birmingham celebrates $12 million boost from NCAA Women's Basketball Regional

Published

on

www.youtube.com – WVTM 13 News – 2025-04-07 22:33:16

SUMMARY: Birmingham celebrated a significant economic boost of $12.3 million from the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional Tournament at Legacy Arena, where 45,000 tickets were sold. The event positively impacted local hotels and restaurants, enhancing Birmingham’s reputation as a desirable sports destination. David Gilbert from the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau highlighted the success of the tournament, which showcased the city’s potential for hosting future events such as the IndyCar race and the World Police and Fire Games. Coach Dawn Staley praised Birmingham for making her team feel welcome, underscoring the city’s ability to deliver exceptional experiences.

YouTube video

Birmingham celebrates $12 million boost from NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional

Subscribe to WVTM on YouTube now for more: https://bit.ly/2jvAaUD

Get more Birmingham news: http://www.wvtm13.com
Like us: https://www.facebook.com/WVTM13/
Follow us: https://twitter.com/WVTM13
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wvtm13/

Source

Continue Reading

News from the South - Alabama News Feed

Supreme Court permits Trump to use wartime law for deportations, for now and with limits

Published

on

alabamareflector.com – Ariana Figueroa – 2025-04-07 19:39:00

by Ariana Figueroa, Alabama Reflector
April 7, 2025

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court Monday said the Trump administration could continue for now to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to carry out rapid deportations of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members — but they must be given a chance to challenge their deportations in court.

The 5-4 decision, which lifted a temporary restraining order by a District of Columbia federal judge, will allow the Trump administration to deport Venezuelans 14 and older who are suspected of Tren de Aragua gang ties, in a victory for the administration of President Donald Trump.

But those immigrants who are subject to the wartime law must have “reasonable notice” in order to challenge their deportation in court “before such removal occurs,” according to the order. The question is which court.

The order argues that the venue of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia is wrong, and that the challenge, which was originally brought by five men in Texas, should be made in the Lone Star State. The challenge is no longer brought by five men and is now a class action.

“The detainees seek equitable relief against the implementation of the Proclamation and against their removal under the (Alien Enemies Act),” according to the Supreme Court. “They challenge the Government’s interpretation of the Act and assert that they do not fall within the category of removable alien enemies. But we do not reach those arguments.”

The president praised the decision, which did not address the merits of the actual law, on social media.

“The Supreme Court has upheld the Rule of Law in our Nation by allowing a President, whoever that may be, to be able to secure our Borders, and protect our families and our Country, itself,” Trump wrote. “A GREAT DAY FOR JUSTICE IN AMERICA!”

Dissenting justices

The three liberal justices dissented: Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. The fourth dissent, in part, came from Amy Coney Barrett, who is considered a member of the court’s six-justice conservative majority.

“The Court’s legal conclusion is suspect,” Sotomayor wrote in her dissent.

She added that the majority opinion did not note the harm that could come to the Venezuelans who could face deportation under the Alien Enemies Act. Already, 238 men have been subject to the proclamation and are currently in a brutal mega-prison in El Salvador, the Terrorist Confinement Center  or CECOT.

“It does so without mention of the grave harm Plaintiffs will face if they are erroneously removed to El Salvador or regard for the Government’s attempts to subvert the judicial process throughout this litigation,” she said. “Because the Court should not reward the Government’s efforts to erode the rule of law with discretionary equitable relief, I respectfully dissent.”

There is a preliminary injunction hearing against the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern before U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg. That hearing deals with the administration’s use of the law.

This was the second decision from the high court Monday that sided with the Trump administration.

Earlier, Chief Justice John Roberts decided to temporarily pause a lower court’s order to require the Trump administration to return to the United States a Maryland man wrongly deported to a prison in El Salvador.

Appeal to the high court

The Trump administration March 28 appealed to the Supreme Court after an appeals court declined to do away with the temporary restraining order placed by Boasberg.

Boasberg had extended his temporary restraining order until April 12 to prevent any more deportations of Venezuelan nationals, invoked by Trump with a presidential proclamation on March 14.

The American Civil Liberties Union brought the suit against the Trump administration’s use of the wartime law. The legal organization asked the Supreme Court to keep the temporary restraining order in place because “it is becoming increasingly clear that many (perhaps most) of the men” who were on the March 15 deportation flights to the prison in El Salvador “were not actually members of” the Tren de Aragua and were “erroneously listed” due to their tattoos.

The same day that Boasberg issued his restraining order, on March 15, three deportation flights landed in El Salvador, where 261 men were taken to the mega-prison.

Boasberg has vowed to determine if the Trump administration violated his restraining order by asking for flight details but the Department of Justice has invoked the so-called “state secrets privilege” to block any information.

Last updated 7:31 p.m., Apr. 7, 2025

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

The post Supreme Court permits Trump to use wartime law for deportations, for now and with limits appeared first on alabamareflector.com

Continue Reading

Trending