AP — Alabama lawmakers returned to Montgomery on Tuesday to begin the legislative session. Here are some issues to watch:. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is throwing her support behind a package of public safety bills that includes a ban on Glock switches, the devices that convert semiautomatic weapons to fire like machine guns. The package also includes efforts to help local law enforcement agencies recruit and retain officers. The bills are expected to be in committee and could see floor votes as soon as next week.
Some Democrats have urged the Republican legislative majority to take additional steps such as bringing back the requirement to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun. Republican Rep. Ernie Yarbrough has introduced legislation to allow local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with federal agencies to enforce federal immigration laws.
Republican Sen. Lance Bell has introduced legislation that would require law enforcement agencies to collect DNA, in addition to fingerprints, from people in custody who immigrated to the United States illegally. Greg Albritton said he is trying to gauge the appetite for taking up gambling legislation after a sweeping lottery and casino proposal failed last session.
The bill stalled in the Alabama Senate. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said he wants any gambling bill to start in the Senate this year.
There has not been a statewide vote on gambling since Gov. Don Siegelman's proposed lottery failed in Bills have stalled under a mix of opposition to casinos and disputes over who would get casino licenses. A legislative committee has been developing a new school funding formula that decides how much money local school systems receive from the state. The committee is expected to propose a hybrid model that allocates money based on enrollment and then adds resources based on student needs.
