Altman quotes Rep. Jim Barton (R-Mobile) saying “the sentiment of the House – particularly a lot of the north Alabama representatives (is that they) do not want to deal with it…. I think there’s been a lot of pressure on those guys.”

HB74 would boost cockfighting penalties from a range of $20-$50 now to $500 and up. It would cover not just conducting a cockfight, but attending, training or betting on a cockfight. Even business dealings involved would fall under the law.

This week on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the United States called cockfighting a “barbaric activity.” While promoting his book, The Bond, he called for Alabama’s legislature to strengthen the laws.

“People set up these fights just to watch the birds hack each other to death…. it should be a felony. It’s a felony in 40 other states. Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states.”

“They are all part of God’s creation. We should never do this sort of thing to them,” Pacelle says.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blog here.

You can hear the fatigure when Democrats talk about the Republican “Handshake With Alabama,” which was a mid-summer 2010 campaign promise.

Recently, Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) quipped to me “the ‘Handshake’ is about to break my arm.”

Sunday, Dana Beyerle of the NYT Regional Papers wrote Senate Republicans will now take up the House-passed “Handshake” agenda with the greatest conflict perhaps centering around illegal immigration.

Today on Good Day Alabama, House Minority Leader Craig Ford (D-Gadsden) offered a quick criticism of the “Handshake” agenda while discussing efforts to protect last year’s PACT bailout.

“They’ve (Republicans) addressed their ‘Hand Shake With Alabama.’ We spent a third of the session addressing these bills, which are unconstitutional, and now we’re going after the PACT program and take money from the PACT program.”

Read more of Rick Journey’s blog here.

Those words from Rep. A.J. McCampbell (D-Linden) caught on video during an ABC News investigation into lobbyists influence on statehouses across the country.

Rep. McCampbell was holding a golf club in his hand as he dismissed a college journalist’s repeated questions about his golf outing during a legislative conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

The raw video from the incident is posted on the ABC News website.

In the ABC News report that first broadcast Wednesday, Brian Ross told Diane Sawyer “in (add emphasis here) Alabama, lobbyists can give a lawmaker up to $250 a day without reporting it….completely legal.”

Ross also featured Sen. Paul Sanford (R-Huntsville) who claims a lobbyist offered $250,000 to buy his vote for the e-bingo bill.

Campbell tells Kim Chandler of the Birmingham News, “Overreacted? I don’t know… when someone puts a camera and sticks a microphone in my face and they keep doing it — I’m one of those people I don’t appreciate that. You respect my space.”

Read more of Rick Journey’s blog here.

Alan and other reporters observed lobbyist John Teague, Tom Coker and communications consultant Rick Heartsill entering the federal courthouse with what appeared to be documents, though none offered any detail of why they were there.

“I am here to provide some information”, Heartsill would only say to reporters.

Upon leaving, Teague told reporters he was asked about political action committees, but says he has no knowledge of improper offers or corrpution. Coker offered “no comment.”

Also showing up today, without an “invitation,” Republican candidate for governor Bill Johnson.

Alan says Johnson “showed up, he walked in, then apparently walked back out.”

The one-time aide to Gov. Bob Riley says he is asking prosecutors to look into “outside gambling interests influencing public policy.” It’s the same story he has repeated before. He claims out-of-state casino money has driven anti-gambling efforts in the state, pointing in particular to Riley and his administration.

The governor, a gambling opponent, and his staff have strongly denied the claims. The governor’s spokesman, Jeff Emerson, tells Alan that Johnson is “a fringe candidate… he is a nutjob.”

Emerson also says Johnson is “going tell a bunch of lies to get on television.”

Many witnesses are expected to appear this week.

Sen. Priscilla Dunn (D-Bessemer) was originally scheduled for today, but says she was told to wait until tomorrow.

“They say there are so many there today,” Dunn told me this afternoon.

House Speaker Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia) is also expected tomorrow.

Representatives confirming a subpoena for this week include Republican Mac Gipson of Prattville, Democrat Craig Ford of  Gadsden. Senators include Republican Scott Beason of Gardendale, Republican Paul Sandford of Huntsville, Democrat Phil Poole of  Moundville and Democrat Linda Coleman of Birmingham. None of those called has indicated they have been told they are targets of an investigation.

The federal grand jury follows a meeting last month with Hammett and other legislative leaders, both Republican and Democrat, in which federal investigators told them of possible corruption dealing with an e-bingo bill.

The proposed constitutional amendment passed the Senate, but failed to garner enough support for a vote in the House in the final days of the session.

This morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, Birmingham attorney Roger Appell called revelations about the probe last month unusual.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.

The issue that dominated this legislative session died in the House of Representatives and thus will never receive a vote of the people. The lead sponsor of BINGO legislation in the House, Marcel Black (D), addressed the House on Wednesday afternoon. Black assured the body that a vote to pass the bill would change absolutely nothing until the people vote on it in November. Black also reminded the members that gambling in the state remains untaxed, unregulated, and undefined. “It’s been a long long session with this bill. My goal has been and remains to let the people vote.” said Black.  Before calling for the House to vote to carry over senate bill 380, Black apologized to the senate sponsor of the legislation. “I want to apologize to Senator Bedford for my apparent inability to convince 62 other folks (House members) to pass this bill.” stated Black.

Here is a full report from Wednesday’s BINGO developments.

BREAKING: Legislators discussed bills other than BINGO this session. Here are some that died.

Charter Schools: While Governor Riley and State Superintendent Joe Morton pushed heavily for charter schools, a block by the influential Alabama Education Association all but insured a dire fate for this legislation. Senator Steve French (R) and Representative Mary Sue McClurkin (R) sponsored the bill in both houses but neither garnered enough committee support to make its way to the floor.  There is the potential that the Governor could call a special session for charter schools, we will just have to wait and see.

Grocery Tax: House Bill #1 was none other than Representative John Knight’s (D)  legislation that would remove the sales tax on groceries. As was the case last year, this legislation never gained support from the republicans and inevitably failed to receive its budget isolation resolution and died on the House floor.

PAC to PAC transfers: For 10 years in a row Representative Jeff McLaughlin (D) has proposed legislation that would ban political action committees (PACs) from transferring money between themselves. These transfers make it nearly impossible to know who contributed to an individual campaign and cloud the process. The House passed McLaughlin’s legislation on the 3^rd day of this legislative session and with 27 legislative days remaining the senate never even voted on the bill in committee. Governor Riley may potentially call a special session to solve this lingering and plaguing issue.  

Smoking Ban: Senator Vivian Figures (D) said she was trying a new angle this year with her Smoking Ban legislation, only limiting the ban to restaurants. The bill shockingly came up late in the 30 day legislative session. After passing the senate with ease, the bill met opposition with the Alabama Restaurant Association in House committee. After passing out of committee the bill failed to get on the calendar for a vote in the House.

Two classes of students, two classes of universities….

When senate bill 162 by Senator Ted Little (D) went to a conference committee last week, no one expected the bill to come out in quite the condition that it did. The bill went to conference committee with a cap on tuition for ALL schools and came out with a cap on tuition for all schools EXCEPT for Auburn University and The University of Alabama. To say this caused a stir would be an unbelievable understatement. The bill passed the senate with little debate but caused a stall in the House. Representatives John Knight (D), Yvonne Kennedy (D), Laura Hall (D), and Alvin Holmes (D) filibustered concurrence with the conference committee report until 9:00 pm on Wednesday. Once the House concurred with the committee’s report, members of Save Alabama PACT gave their representatives a standing ovation.

On the final legislative day, Governor Riley decided he was not ready to close the book on the issue of PACT. Just hours before legislators left Montgomery, Riley placed an executive amendment on the bill. The amendment corrected what the administration called a flaw that would threaten the tax exempt status of the Public School and College Authority. Seeing resistance in both houses, Riley made a trip over to the state house to urge members to pass the legislation. Just after 5:00 the House concurred with Riley’s executive amendment and the Governor signed the bill into law that evening.

 You don’t have to leave but you can’t stay here

SINE DIE, HAPPY TRAILS, the Alabama House and Senate completed their 30 day 2010 general session on Thursday. This session sticks a fork in the quadrennium that began in 2006. While BINGO and PACT dominated the entire session, both houses managed to pass the Education Trust Fund and General Fund budgets. There is always the potential for a special session this summer or fall but we will just have to wait and see what Governor Riley decides to do.

Rep. Marcel Black (D-Tuscumbia) says he is still working to secure the 63 votes needed to send the e-bingo bill to a November ballot. “Fluid” is the way he has described vote counting in the last 24 hours.

A bailout of the state’s pre-paid college tuition program and a billion dollar road and bridge building bond remain in conference committees today with meetings still to take place.

This morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, Senate President Pro Tem Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) and Senate Minority Leader Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills) predicted passage of both plans. Smitherman says he believes a 2 1/2 percent tuition cap for PACT students opposed by the Auburn University and University of Alabama Systems will be removed in the final measure.

Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham) confirms that is part of the agreement still being worked out in the conference committee. About the PACT plan, he says the conference committee is “almost there.”

Rogers, who also serves on a conference committee for the road and bridge bond, has pushed for more dedicated funding for projects in the Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile metros.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.

Among the bills pending are a bailout of the state’s PACT plan and a ban on texting while driving.

Road and Bridge Bond

Today House members face that billion dollar road and bridge proposal in the full House.

This morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, two Birmingham-metro lawmakers predicted plenty of discussion before a vote today.

Rep. Oliver Robinson (D) of Birmingham says “we need to try to do what we can to bring jobs to Alabama”  in support of the bill, but adds Birmingham and Jefferson county should get a “lion’s share of the money.”

That is not the case in Birmingham legislators’ minds at this time.

Rep. Jim McClendon (R) of Springville warns the bill is “robbing the piggy bank.” That piggy bank being the Oil and Gas Trust Fund.

“The oil and gas trust fund produces hundreds of millions of dollars that go into the general fund… there is a lot of concern,” McClendon says.

e-Bingo

The House Tourism committee passed Sen. Roger Bedford’s e-bingo bill without amendment this morning.

It’s road may not get easier in the full House.

Rep. Robinson expects a tough battle in these closing days.

“We’ll have plenty of discussion on the floor and it is my hope we pass it out of the House.  I don’t know if we have the votes, but you have to give it a shot.”

McClendon believes the votes won’t be there in the full House.

Erin Dixon further sets the stage for the House debate here.

SB233

The St. Clair county Republican is finding a tough time for the Senate-passed CA giving Alabamian’s the vote to say they want to opt out of the federal health care overhaul.

“The Democrats have blocked that bill from coming before the House committee,” he says.

“We have a House committee meeting today at 12:30 and it’s not on the calender and its because its been blocked by the folks that don’t want a referendum.”

Rep. Robinson vows to do everything he can to keep it off the agenda.

House Majority Leader Ken Guin (D-Carbon Hill) has previously said state lawmakers don’t have a clear view of what is in the federal law. Guin believes it would be premature to act in this legislative session.

Tea Party activists in Alabama have urged followers to call the state house and sign petitions demanding the bill sponsored by Sen. Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) come up for a vote.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.

Debate begins on the House floor today. The nearly $5.5 billion dollar budget, buoyed by extra millions from a lawsuit and a bond, should cover all teacher slots the state provides. Earlier this session that was not expected to be the case.

Rep. Guin tells FOX6 News Good Day Alabama “local entities, depending on their own situation, may have to look at that differently” in continuing teacher slots funded locally.

The spending plan does come with one key cost to educators wallets.

“It’s a first time we have level funded PEEHIP… I think there will be some rate increase for people in the PEEHIP system,” Guin says about the Public Education Employees Health Insurance Plan.

Committee work picks up tomorrow on the General Fund budget. Guin says he wants to have the general fund up for a vote next Tuesday.

Guin, who is up for re-election with the rest of the legislature this year, calls a Republican effort to “prohibit” the federal mandate for health insurance a “campaign issue.”

Sen. Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) will join the Eagle Forum in calling for a vote on a bill that calls for the prohibition during a news conference on the Statehouse steps today. The chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus has called a 12:30pm news conference to decry the bill.

Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham) tells me the caucus will “push back on this state’s rights argument.”

Using a favorite term, Rep. Rogers vows “a holy war” if Beason’s bill or similar legislation by Rep. Robert Bentley (R-Tuscaloosa) or Rep. Mac Gipson (R-Prattville) makes it to the house or senate floor.

The majority leader says it is unlikely to move that far.

“I look them (bill sponsors) square in the eye and ask have you read this 2,000-plus page (health care overhaul) bill. None of them have. I think it is too early for us to know what it does. To put out a constitutional amendment on something we haven’t had an opportunity to analyze… I don’t think it would be a prudent thing.”

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.

State Senator Hinton Mitchem announced today he will not seek reelection.  Mitchem is the longest serving member of the state legislature, having first been elected 36 years ago.  Mitchem served four years in the Alabama House of Representatives before moving up to the Alabama Senate in 1978. 

Here’s his Senate bio:

Born in Oconee County, Georgia on May 18, 1938, he is the owner of Hinton Mitchem Tractor Co., Inc. He received his B.S. degree in Education from the University of Georgia. Senator Mitchem is the father of three children: Todd, Tonya, and Derrick. He is a Democrat, a Presbyterian, and a Rotarian. He enjoys golf and traveling in his spare time. Senator Mitchem was elected President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate on January 9, 2007, and resigned that position on February 5, 2009.

In a statement released since that vote, Sen. Sanford says he’ll offer a new bill this week that will “simplify” the matter.

On the senate floor, Sanford called for an “up or down vote.”

He says the current measure caters to “casino bosses.”

Under his plan, Sen. Sanford says the current machines would be referred to as “slot machines instead of bingo.” He would shorten the 48-page constitutional amendment to make it easier to understand for voters. He also proposes placing casino licenses up for bid instead of identifying operators. The Sanford plan would add prohibitions on campaign contributions from gambling to those who appoint the Gaming Commission and to the Legislature.

Finally, and this is the big one, he proposes a minimum tax rate of 50%. The Bedford plan taxes at the rate of 27%.

Sanford’s statement says support in his north Alabama district for a statewide vote runs about 80%.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.