By Brian Lyman | Editor
“It's a vital program for the nutritional needs of Alabamians. I’ve heard from multiple advocates and grocery store people. This is an economic issue also, when you're talking about what it affects in those areas, too.” - Brandon Hardin, Alabama SNAP director
A sign advertises that SNAP benefits are accepted at a grocery store in Fargo, North Dakota, on July 7, 2026. (Ceilidh Kern for the North Dakota Monitor)
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
By Anna Barrett
Alabama may have seen an error rate in its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program fell in the early part of the year, which could potentially reduce a major penalty the state would have to pay. Preliminary data says the error rate — measurements of overpayments or underpayments but not measures of fraud — fell from 9.52% to 7.89%. If the numbers hold, it could reduce the penalty from $174.3 million to $87.1 million.
U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, (center) and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J,(right) smile as U.S. Rep Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham (left) addresses the crowd during a rally in Montgomery on October 22, 2026. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)
ELECTIONS 2026
By Andrea Tinker
A rally for U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures’ re-election in what could be the state’s most competitive congressional district drew at least 250 people to Montgomery Thursday. Figures was joined by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. All three spoke about efforts by the Republican Legislature to redraw the 2nd Congressional District, currently represented by Figures, and urged attendees to vote.
A close-up of police lights. The Alabama Justice Information Commission Thursday threatened to revoke access to criminal justice database to four local law enforcement agencies for not reporting their crime data. (Getty)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
By Ralph Chapoco
The Alabama Justice Information Commission Thursday moved to impose penalties on four state law enforcement agencies that it said had not reported its criminal data statistics to the commission. The sanctions could mean the agencies will be cut off from databases used for investigations. The commission also heard from two police chiefs about their data issues.
ICYMI
Dems in Congress say they’re wary Trump won't accept results of election | Jonathan Shorman, DC Bureau
Analysis: Trump deportations near 1M, but few are criminals | Tim Henderson, Stateline
A record number of women are running for state legislatures this year | Kevin Hardy, Stateline
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