Via Stateline: As Americans grow increasingly frustrated over their electricity bills, states are trying to keep the nation’s growing number of data centers from causing higher energy costs for consumers. https://ow.ly/wMua50Y9reT

Via Ralph Chapoco: Charles Lee Burton, 75, was convicted of the murder of Auto Zone employee Doug Battle during a robbery in 1991. Burton participated in the robbery but did not shoot Battle; the man who did had his sentence reduced to life without parole in 2002.

Via Ashley Murray: Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic proposal Thursday to sue the Trump administration over allegations that it did not fully release the Epstein files, as mandated under a law unanimously approved by senators and signed by the president nearly three months ago.

Via @timhenderson.bsky.social and Stateline: Despite the high-profile U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Minnesota, ICE arrests were down slightly in January compared to December, according to new data.

Via Anna Barrett: The Alabama Senate gave final approval to a bill Thursday that would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty for those convicted of sexual assault of a child under the age of 12, setting up a possible court battle over its constitutionality.

Alabama Reflector turns three years old on Saturday. We wouldn't be here without your support, which allows us to keep reporting on the stories that matter most to you. Will you join the celebration today? https://alabamareflector.com/donate

President Donald Trump’s attempts to dramatically slash funding for the U.S. Department of Education amid a broader push to dismantle the agency hit a major roadblock this week in the form of bipartisan approval of a spending law that gives the department a small raise. https://ow.ly/f9Yc50Y9qYa

Via Ralph Chapoco: An Alabama legislative committee Thursday approved contracts worth $800,000 with four law firms to defend Alabama Department of Corrections staff and corrections officers in civil lawsuits brought by people who have been incarcerated and their families.

Via Ralph Chapoco: An Alabama House committee Wednesday approved legislation on Wednesday to require the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles to consider educational and employment achievements by parole applicants while incarcerated. https://ow.ly/q0bc50Y8Ynt

Via Anna Barrett: An Alabama Senate committee approved a bill Wednesday that would prohibit food assistance recipients from using their benefits to purchase certain sodas and sugary processed foods. https://ow.ly/2lcq50Y95gf

Via Andrea Tinker: An Alabama House committee Wednesday approved a bill renaming the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America' and heard testimony on legislation that would require the West Bank to be referred to as Judea and Samaria in official documents. https://ow.ly/Hznu50Y95CK

Via Anna Barrett: A state official Wednesday briefed lawmakers on the state’s plans to spend just over $200 million in federal grants meant to partially offset Medicaid cuts, mostly on rural health and workforce. https://ow.ly/c6q150Y93Bw

Via Andrea Tinker: An Alabama House Committee passed a bill that would allow local school boards to allow chaplains in public K-12 schools.

Via Jennifer Shutt and Ariana Figueroa: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., appeared somewhat skeptical that U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala, whom Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., put forward as their top negotiator, was truly empowered to cut a deal on behalf of every GOP senator.

Via Ralph Chapoco: HB 363, sponsored by Rep. Greg Barnes, R-Jasper, would make it a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to intentionally disrupt the proceedings in a house of worship by engaging in “riot, unlawful protest, or disorderly conduct” or by harassing attendees.

Via Anna Claire Vollers and Stateline: Alabama and other states are moving to outlaw the use of non-disclosure agreements against victims of sexual abuse. https://ow.ly/1zcK50Y8UIa

Renee Good’s family, distraught over her killing, took some comfort in the past few weeks thinking her death might prompt change, her brother Luke Ganger said Tuesday. “It has not,” Ganger said at a forum on the disproportionate use of force by U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents.

Via Ralph Chapoco: The Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday passed a bill that would make it harder for defendants to invoke self-defense in court cases if if they disposed of the weapon involved in the incident. https://ow.ly/76zc50Y8zkF

Via Anna Barrett: The Alabama Senate Tuesday approved a bill that would prohibit the state from having stricter environmental regulations than the federal government. Democrats said the bill would leave the state vulnerable as the Trump administration weakens protections. https://ow.ly/ZYob50Y8xSZ

Via @andreadotweb.bsky.social: Chambers County Republican Party Chairwoman Kristi Nelson won the House District 38 special election Tuesday night, defeating Democratic nominee Hazel Floyd.

The Alabama House of Representatives approved legislation on Tuesday that prohibits foreign nationals from making political contributions. https://ow.ly/t9JE50Y8yrz

Via @andreadotweb.bsky.social: Chambers County Republican Party Chairwoman Kristi Nelson won the House District 38 special election Tuesday night, defeating Democratic nominee Hazel Floyd.

Via Jacob Fischler: President Donald Trump restated a call Tuesday for federal control over election administration across the country, undermining the structure outlined in the Constitution that empowers states to run elections.

Via Ariana Figueroa: Dozens of U.S. House Democrats rallied on a chilly Tuesday morning outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters in the nation’s capital, demanding the resignation, firing or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. https://ow.ly/6AX250Y8tTI

Via Anna Barrett: An Alabama Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill that would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty for those convicted of sexual assault of a child under the age of 12.

Via Jennifer Shutt: The U.S. House cleared a government funding package Tuesday, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump. In the Alabama delegation, U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, was the single no vote.

Via Anna Barrett: Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, was taken to a hospital Tuesday afternoon after becoming ill prior to committee meeting where he was scheduled to present a bill. https://alabamareflector.com/briefs/rep-matt-simpson-taken-to-hospital/

Via Stateline: States that have passed laws requiring some kind of school cell phone restrictions are considering daylong bans, even for high schoolers. The idea has gotten some pushback from students, teachers and parents who say strict bell-to-ban bans aren’t necessary. https://ow.ly/paXt50Y877g

Commentary by Allison Berkowitz and Molly Cole: While supporters argue that HB 152 merely offers administrative flexibility, we believe it is unnecessary and risks weakening not just one program, but the broader social work ecosystem across our state. https://ow.ly/8jNG50Y7VtF

Via Andrea Tinker: Members of the Alabama Legislature heard budget proposals from various education agencies Monday. https://ow.ly/xr2850Y7XuW

Via Ariana Figueroa: A federal judge late Monday blocked the termination of temporary protections for roughly 350,000 Haitians from taking effect, a move that prevents the Trump administration from acting to deport them as litigation continues.

Via Andrea Tinker: Voters in Chambers and Lee counties go to the polls Tuesday to choose Democratic nominee Hazel Floyd or Republican nominee Kristin Nelson as their new state representative. Here's a guide to the race. https://ow.ly/ZCAl50Y7QrQ

Via Jennifer Shutt: A federal judge on Monday closed the lawsuit Planned Parenthood filed last summer after Republicans’ “big, beautiful” law blocked Medicaid patients from visiting its clinics for any health care appointments for one year. https://ow.ly/qyF950Y7RYY

Via Ariana Figueroa: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday that body cameras would be given to federal immigration agents across the country, but did not specifically say agents would be required to wear the cameras.

Via Jennifer Shutt and Ariana Figueroa: The U.S. House is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday on the government funding package that will end the ongoing partial government shutdown once it becomes law.

Via Ralph Chapoco: Both Tommy Tuberville, running for governor, and John Wahl, running for lieutenant governor, faced allegations that they did not meet the seven-year residency requirement for their respective offices.

Via Ariana Figueroa: A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked a Trump administration policy that prevented members of Congress from making unannounced oversight visits at facilities that hold immigrants.

My column this week. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville faces questions about whether he meets Alabama's constitutional requirements to run for governor. And it's a major problem that he feels comfortable evading the issue, and that state institutions are likely to let him keep doing so.

Via @timhenderson.bsky.social & Stateline: States that once led in childhood vaccination are losing ground as exemptions and unfounded skepticism take hold, encouraged by the Trump administration’s stance under U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. https://ow.ly/H8eK50Y7Fjg

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville faces questions over whether he can meet constitutional requirements to run for Alabama governor. Editor Brian Lyman writes that it's a serious problem that Alabamians can rightly doubt state courts' abilities and willingness to find the answers. https://ow.ly/CMhw50Y6hgG

Via Ralph Chapoco: A new report found that domestic and international migration into Alabama helped the state grow despite continuing net natural population loss, and that the Trump administration's anti-immigration policies may be slowing that growth down. https://ow.ly/sMre50Y6EIr

Via Andrea Tinker: The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would change the amount of years teachers can be contracted under a law extending additional pay to math and science teachers. https://ow.ly/8UMw50Y6ENU

Via Nada Hassanein and Stateline: Doulas trained to support pregnant and postpartum moms with substance use disorder are in increasing demand amid the nation’s concurrent crises of maternal mortality and addiction. https://ow.ly/jAIM50Y64IL

My column from Monday. Alabama politicians give voters little but paranoia and niche right-wing issues, which may be why just 37% of voters turned up for the last midterm in 2022. Those politicians who truly want to make a government for Alabama have to restore Alabamians’ faith in the process.

Via Elisha Brown: Even though many legislative sessions only just convened across the country this month, efforts to restrict access to abortion pills are in full swing, particularly in states that already ban abortion. https://ow.ly/OGFH50Y64kO

Via Shauneen Miranda: The release, which in the 3 million pages includes more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, comes more than 40 days after the agency was legally required to release the full set of files involving the disgraced financier, in compliance with federal law.

Via Ralph Chapoco: A former Republican state representative is challenging a former Republican party chair’s bid for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, alleging John Wahl does not meet residency requirements for the office. https://ow.ly/INzB50Y6u6x

Via Jennifer Shutt: The federal government hurtled Friday toward a partial shutdown this weekend, even though Senate Democrats and President Donald Trump reached a deal that allows lawmakers more time to negotiate new constraints on immigration enforcement.

Via Anna Barrett and Andrea Tinker: Here's our round-up of bills that passed the Alabama Legislature this week.

Via Jacob Fischler: A poll published Thursday by the nonpartisan health research organization KFF found Americans feel their health care costs are rising faster than household expenses and hold President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans responsible. https://ow.ly/7zp850Y63OT