House passes effort to mandate post-election audits 

A bill that would establish mandatory post-election audits for county and statewide general elections passed in the Alabama House Tuesday amid considerable opposition from House Democrats.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Wood, R-Valley, would require the judge of probate in each county to conduct a post-election audit after every general election, and mandate that the audit be complete before election results are certified by the Secretary of State. If passed, it would go into effect immediately.

On its merits, the bill did not see pushback, though a number of House Democrats took issue with what they argued the bill suggested, that voter fraud was rampant in the state of Alabama.

“I don’t have a problem with it, I will support the bill,” said Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, speaking on the bill. “But at the end of the day, it creates further a false narrative that there is so much cheating in Alabama, and there really isn’t.”

According to the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, a total of 20 instances of voter fraud have been documented in the state since the year 2000.

The bill ultimately passed in a largely partisan vote of 63-30, and now heads to the Senate.

Enhanced criminal penalties for terrorist threats passes House

The Alabama House unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that would enhance criminal penalties for those who make terrorist threats against schools, churches or government activities.

Under the bill, carried by Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, a first-degree terrorist threat would be upgraded from a Class C felony to a Class B felony, punishable with up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $30,000. The bill would also establish a mechanism to recoup costs expended by law enforcement agencies and first responders in responding to the threat.

“I brought this bill after a rash of school shootings and bomb threats took place across our state … this is a serious crime,” Woods said when introducing his bill. 

“This bill also allows for the cost associated with responding to a threat outlined in this bill to be recouped in the form of restitution, shifting the burden from taxpayers to the guilty party.”

Students convicted of making a terrorist threat would be expelled from school.

The bill now moves to the Senate.