Alabama State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- No Answer

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No Answer

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No Answer

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support implementing the two most effective ways to avoid unwanted pregnancies: education and access to contraception. Colorado, for example, has reduced its number of unwanted pregnancies by 50% by implementing a combination of these two methods.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No Answer

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- Alabama could benefit from the legalization and regulation of medical marijuana. This would offer much-needed relief to cancer patients and to veterans suffering from PTSD, and it would add revenue to our state treasury.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- No Answer

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No Answer

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- No Answer

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support examining our state campaign finance regulations in order to balance the playing field for new candidates who want to bring new ideas to our state governing bodies, but are outmatched in funding by large corporations. I support an independent or bipartisan commission for redistricting. I also support implementing systems which encourage all of our citizens to participate in the election process rather than discouraging them.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No Answer

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No Answer

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No Answer

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I do not support capital punishment because additional manners of proof are continually being implemented to prove prisoners are innocent, and because it does not deter crime. I support offering voters the opportunity to vote for the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. Minors should be prosecuted as minors. Enforcing immigration laws is the responsibility of the federal government. Local government has no legal obligation to assist, and many local governments have decided that increasing fear of local law enforcement only scares victims and witnesses away from cooperating with law enforcement, making all of us less safe.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No Answer

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No Answer

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No Answer

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No Answer

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Alabama?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- I support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth, but I do not support lowering state taxes because Alabama currently ranks last nationally on per-capita tax collections (per nonpartisan Public Affairs Research council of Alabama), so we cannot properly fund services needed by Alabamians. When regulations are in place to protect Alabamians and our natural resources, I do not support reducing them. I support studying access to unemployment benefits to determine if expansion is needed. I definitely support an increase of the minimum wage of Alabama.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Alabama?
- No Answer

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No Answer

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Alabama high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support adopting reasonable education standards in Alabama that follow nationally-approved guidelines. I believe that taxes collected should be invested in public schools in order to shore up our traditional public school system instead of creating a solution to benefit a very few while reducing resources for the many. Because a well-educated society benefits everyone, I support in-state tuition status being available to all college students who have fulfilled the residence requirement. I support an Alabama Education Lottery to increase funding for the state education budget.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No Answer

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No Answer

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- No Answer

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support increased state funding and regulation that will develop, improve and protect our natural resources. These steps will ensure Alabama the Beautiful as well as the health and quality of life of Alabamians.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No Answer

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No Answer

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No Answer

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support common sense gun safety legislation, such as background checks at gun shows and requiring a license and training for gun ownership. As a teacher, I agree with the National Association of School Resource Officers, who strongly opposes the proposal to arm teachers due to the risk it would pose to law enforcement, students, and the school community, as well as the risks to the armed teachers themselves.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Alabama's health care programs?
- No Answer

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No Answer

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No Answer

6. Other or expanded principles
- Alabamians have suffered because lawmakers voted not to expand Medicaid. Twelve hospitals have closed in our state, doctors have left our state, and Alabamians have paid the price in poor health and death. To strengthen our healthcare system, I support Medicaid expansion. Insurance works best when there are more investors rather than fewer. Just as our drivers are required to purchase automobile insurance, I support required purchase of health care insurance. If a citizen chooses to not be vaccinated for an infectious disease, that citizen should likewise accept the responsibility to separate him/herself from others during infectious periods.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Alabama's anti-discrimination laws?
- No Answer

3. Do you support greater efforts by Alabama state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- No Answer

4. Do you support the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identify in our anti-discrimination laws. Because I believe in equal pay for equal work, I absolutely support greater efforts by Alabama state government in closing the pay gap between men and women. In an effort to preserve the artwork but eliminate the racial hurt, I support the transfer of Confederate monuments to a museum of history.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- The underfunding of Alabama's education system and the resulting price paid by our state's children are shameful. I support the establishment of an Education Lottery to add to the funds in our Education Trust Fund. I support Medicaid Expansion to re-open and reinforce hospitals in Alabama as well as to strengthen Alabamians' health. To not do this is fiscally irresponsible. Alabama is one of three states that hasn't figured out how to reduce or eliminate sales tax on groceries. If 47 states can find a more fair way to raise the revenue on this necessity, Alabama ought to do likewise.