Alabama’s New Laws: New Gun Bill And Others Just Passed

Alabama's lawmakers are working as Spring begins, and many new laws have been passed.

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Many of these never get noticed, or you just don't hear or read much about them.

These are laws that we should be aware of as they will have a big impact on many of us in Alabama.

In Alabama, any new gun bills or legislation is a pretty big deal to most residents.

Some of these are still set to go before Kay Ivey or the Senate.

However, there's plenty of meat on this fresh lawmaker bone.

A report from alabamareflector.com provides insight on everything passed in the Alabama legislature, including this interesting bill:

HB 430, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville, requires candidates for sheriff of Monroe County to be U.S. citizens and residents of the county over the age of 25 with at least three years of experience in law enforcement. The bill passed 17-0. It goes to the Senate.

That seems like a common-sense issue that should have been passed long before now. A candidate for sheriff should be an American citizen with at least three years of law enforcement experience. Umm, yeah.

Another bill involving firearms also caught our eye, and according to Alabama Reflector, it ties into the mental health crisis. Here's a look at it:

SB 40, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, allows people experiencing suicidal thoughts to surrender a firearm to a licensed gun dealer. The bill passed with a House committee substitute 93-1. It goes back to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee.

Mental health is a crisis in Alabama and across the USA.

More bills that deal with license plates, seafood safety, plus money to promote Alabama seafood and plenty of raises and compensation packages for the lawmakers themselves.

That is no surprise, but we need to know about it. Is this the right time to spend our money to promote our seafood?

Most of us can't even afford seafood at the grocery store at the moment.

I lost count of the bills tied to more money for the individuals passing these laws.

It is definitely worth noting that one bill seeks to spend nearly $1.3 billion to improve Alabama prisons. There's no doubt Alabama prisons need improvement and need it badly.

It is a problem. Is spending over a billion dollars the right remedy to fix what ails it?

That is up to voters to decide.