1. Troops may be deployed to southern Border.

2. Talkin’ roads & bridges.

• Before you know it, the election will be over and the legislative session will be here.
• After shelving the issue for a year, lawmakers are likely to return to the problem of building and repairing Alabama’s roads and bridges.
• Few candidates on the campaign trail say they are against finding more revenue for infrastructure.
• Does that mean a gas tax increase is pretty much guaranteed?
• Maybe, but the Devil is in the details.
• John Sharp takes a look at how the issue might shape up in the 2019 Regular Session.
• Don’t forget: there will be at least 35 new lawmakers in Montgomery next year. That’s about a fourth of the Legislature.
• Also, ADN’s Caroline Beck recently went along with a group of lawmakers to a big infrastructure project in Birmingham and wrote about how it portends problems and promise for Alabama’s infrastructure needs.

A Message from The Alabama Petroleum Council

• The United States is the global leader in production and refining of natural gas and oil. It’s an American energy revolution that impacts all 50 states – including Alabama.
• Alabama ranked 18th in oil production in 2016, 16th in natural gas output that same year and natural gas continues to be the leading source of electricity generation in the state.
• The Alabama Petroleum Council exists to support policies that maintain this national energy resurgence – benefiting consumers and producing good-paying Alabama jobs.
• Stay connected to the Alabama Petroleum Council via Twitter.

3. Alabama Constitutional Amendments.

• The measure says that public entities can display the Ten Commandments on public grounds, given it is done so “in a manner that complies with constitutional requirements.”
• Critics are puzzled by the constitutional requirements aspect of the amendment, and some see it as setting up a challenge to US Supreme Court rulings. Supporters acknowledge those following the amendment, if passed, could face legal troubles.
• Full story HERE.

• Supporters call it “a statement of values” even if it doesn’t go much further than being a part of the state constitution.
• The amendment doesn’t limit the rights protected by Roe v Wade, but if that case is overturned by the Supreme Court, it could open up a possibility for the state to institute further abortion restrictions.
• Tennessee passed similar verbiage in a 2014 measure but made exceptions for rape, incest or if the mother’s life is in danger. Alabama’s proposed amendment has no such language.
• Full story HERE.

4. Lower U.S. Drug Prices.

• the plan only applies to medications administered in a doctor’s office, not ones bought from a pharmacy;
• officials say the proposal could take more than a year to implement;
• the plan would only apply to half the country.

5. ICYMI.

• Read: Walt Maddox: The Believer.
• Read: Kay Ivey: The Boss.

Headlines.

Front Pages (images link to newspaper websites, which you should visit and patronize).