Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Tornado Warning, Flooding Force Alabama State House Evacuation During Redistricting Votes

The measures prepare the state for possible court-ordered map changes following a recent Supreme Court shift tied to Louisiana.

Overview

  • Lawmakers evacuated the Alabama State House after fire alarms and flooding interrupted the special session Wednesday, with officials warning of electrical hazards as videos showed cars partly underwater.
  • The National Weather Service issued a radar-indicated Tornado Warning for Montgomery County during the redistricting debate.
  • Senators passed SB 1 seconds before the alarm, in what one reporter said followed Democrats dropping a filibuster, and the House had approved HB 1 earlier in the day.
  • HB 1 and SB 1 set backup election plans if federal courts alter districts, keeping already-qualified candidates on special primary ballots so the November general election can stay on schedule.
  • Attorney General Steve Marshall filed emergency motions for courts to approve the new congressional and state Senate maps, and lawmakers planned committee work Thursday with more votes expected to follow.