Governor Robert Bentley last week announced the formation of the Alabama Drone Task Force. The Alabama Farmers Federation is applauding the move. The Director of National Legislative Programs for ALFA Mitt Walker says the technology allows farmers to collect real-time data. For now, the commercial use of unmanned aerial vehicles is illegal, but the Federal Aviation Administration is set to release new rules on drones in 2015. The governor's task force will study the requirements for drone operations and the process for FAA approval and then formulate a plan for Alabama.
AEA PAC
The Alabama Education Association's political action committee is using more than $1 million in loans to help support candidates after spending on primary races earlier this year. A campaign finance report filed last week shows AEA's political action committee took out a loan of more than $1.2 million in addition to borrowing $500,000 in July. Earlier this year, the Alabama Department of Education directed school districts to enforce a law blocking AEA from receiving contributions directly from educator's paychecks. The contributions were a major source of the group's funding. AEA spokeswoman says the group taking out loans is a standard practice during election cycles.
Crash Investigation
A federal accident board has told UPS and its pilots' union they can no longer participate in the agency's investigation of a crash that killed two of the cargo shipping company's pilots. The National Transportation Safety Board sent letters Monday to UPS and the Independent Pilots Association revoking their "party status" in the investigation of last summer's crash during a landing approach at the Birmingham airport. The board said both violated their party status by making public statements about the cause of the accident before the investigation is finished. The union released a statement blaming the accident on the flight crew's fatigue and calling for a change in the rules governing cargo pilots' schedules. A UPS spokesman responded with a statement asserting that the crew's schedule met regulations.