The Alabama Senate has narrowly approved a budget that slashes millions of dollars from Medicaid, mental health, law enforcement and other state agencies. Aside from some additional funding for prison reform legislation, it is essentially the same budget that legislators sent to the governor in June. Republican Senator Gerald Dial of Lineville was among those condemning the spending plan. Senators voted 19-15 for the budget, a vote Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh endorsed. The House of Representatives will now decide whether to go along with the spending plan that cuts nearly $200 million from state agencies. Some senators said they expect Bentley to bring them back into a second special session.
Baseball Bat Attack
Vestavia Hills police Monday announced formal charges against a 71-year-old man accused of attacking Talladega Mayor Larry Barton with a baseball bat Saturday morning. Benny J. Green, who used to co-host Barton's radio show "In the Interest of the People," is charged with first-degree assault. Police are still not discussing a possible motive in the attack, but Green's former lawyer Stewart Springer told AL.com Sunday the dispute began because" Barton was caught on hidden video having sex with Green's wife." Spring told the newspaper there is "absolutely no question" that Barton and Charlotte Green are the couple on the tape.
Hubbard Trial
Prosecutors are opposing indicted House Speaker Mike Hubbard's request to delay his October trial on ethics charges. The attorney general's office on Monday told a judge that there's no legitimate reason to push back the trial scheduled for Oct. 19th. In a court filing, prosecutors said that the public deserved a resolution in the case. Hubbard's lawyers asked for a delay, saying there were unresolved legal issues in the case and problems with discovery. Hubbard was indicted last year on 23 felony ethics charges for personal gain. He has maintained his innocence.