Legislation to allow the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) to sell health care plans to its membership is being considered in the Alabama Legislature.
The bill, sponsored by State Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, has been one of the heaviest lifts of the 2025 legislative session.
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mp5G@42E6D @7 E96 677@CE 2C8F6 E92E D@>6E9:?8 :D ?66565 E@ 96=A 72C>6CD H9@ 2C6 A2J:?8 9:89 :?DFC2?46 AC6>:F>D[ 2 32CC:6C 7@C E9@D6 4@?D:56C:?8 72C>:?8 2D 2? @44FA2E:@? :? 2? 6C2 H96? p=232>2’D 28C:4F=EFC2= 64@?@>J :D D9C:?<:?8]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 3:== H@F=5 2==@H 2 AC@5F4E D@=5 E@ @?=J p{up >6>36CD E92E :D E649?:42==J ?@E 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 E@ 36 D@=5 :? p=232>2] %96 AC@5F4E :D E@ @776C =@H6C\4@DE >65:42= 4@G6C286 7@C p{up >6>36CD 2?5 E96:C 72>:=:6D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mxE :D @776C65 :? `_ @E96C DE2E6D[ :?4=F5:?8 %6??6DD66[ H96C6 :E 92D 366? 2G2:=23=6 D:?46 `hcf]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m~?6 @AA@?6?E H9@ 92D 2 =68:E:>2E6 8C:A6 :D q=F6 rC@DD q=F6 $9:6=5 Wqrq$X] s6DA:E6 92G:?8 2 ?62C >@?@A@=J[ qrq$ 23:56D 3J E96 CF=6D @7 E96 3FD:?6DD 2?5 :D 7@C465 E@ 4@G6C E96 4@DE\AC@9:3:E:G6 2:=>6?ED A=28F:?8 AF3=:4 962=E9[ H96C62D E96 p{up “962=E9 A=2?” 5@6D ?@E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mw@H6G6C[ 2 D6=7\D6CG:?8 2C8F>6?E 5@6D ?@E H:? DJ>A2E9J :? E96 4@FCE @7 AF3=:4 @A:?:@?] x?DE625[ E96 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 8:2?E 4=2:>D :ED @AA@D:E:@? :D C@@E65 :? 4@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m(92E6G6C E96 2C8F>6?E[ qrq$ :D 5@:?8 H92E :E E9:?<D :E >FDE 5@ E@ ECJ E@ H:? E9:D =68:D=2E:G6 D<:C>:D9] %96 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 ;F886C?2FE 92D[ 2E =62DE H92E :E 2AA62CD E@ 36[ 2? @55 2==J :? :ED 677@CE E@ DE@A p{up]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mt?E6C E96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m(96? J@F 962C p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ[ H92E 4@>6D E@ J@FC >:?5nk^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 3C2?5 :D 2 H6==\:?E6?E:@?65 492C:EJ H@C<:?8 E@ 6?5 42?46C] (6 <?@H 23@FE :ED 677@CED E@ 6?4@FC286 D>@<6CD E@ BF:E 2?5 p>6C:42?D E@ 92G6 2 962=E9:6C 5:6E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ’D 2AAC@249 92D 6G@=G65 @G6C :ED ```\J62C 9:DE@CJ] x? E96 `hg_D 2?5 `hh_D[ :E H@C<65 E@ C6:? :? 4:82C6EE6 >2?F724EFC6CD[ H9@[ 56DA:E6 <?@H:?8 E96:C AC@5F4ED H6C6 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 962=E9 C:D<D[ E9C:G65 :? AF3=:4 2772:CD]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m|@DE p>6C:42?D AC@323=J 92G6 86?6C2==J A@D:E:G6 766=:?8D 23@FE E96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ] |@DE A6@A=6 2C6 282:?DE 42?46C[ 2?5 :7 2 8C@FA :D 565:42E65 E@ 7:?5:?8 E96 6?5 @7 42?46C[ E96? H6 2C6 7@C :E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mw@H6G6C[ D@>6E:>6D[ E96 A6C46AE:@? @7 2? 6?E:EJ :D ?@E C62=:EJ]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ 92D 2 G6CJ 24E:G6 8@G6C?>6?E 2772:CD 2C> 2?5 :D G6CJ @FEDA@<6? :? :ED @AA@D:E:@? E@ E96 A=2?] %96 92?8\FA 7@C E96 8C@FA :D 2AA2C6?E=J E96 p{up A=2?’D =:>:E65 @776C:?8D 7@C 42?46C A2E:6?ED]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?my2?6 p52>D @7 E96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ r2?46C p4E:@? }6EH@C< C646?E=J =2:5 @FE E96:C @AA@D:E:@? :? 2? p!%' :?E6CG:6H =2DE H66<]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m“(6 F?56CDE2?5 E92E E6?D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 72C>6CD :? p=232>2 2C6 DECF88=:?8 E@ 277@C5 E96:C 962=E9 :?DFC2?46[” D96 D2:5] “qFE H6 H2?E E@ >2<6 DFC6 E92E H92E E96J’C6 @776C65 :D 2 8@@5 962=E9 A=2? E92E H:== 4@G6C AC66I:DE:?8 4@?5:E:@?D[ H:== 4@G6C 6DD6?E:2= 962=E9 36?67:ED =:<6 AC6G6?E2E:G6 42?46C D4C66?:?8D[ >6?E2= 962=E9[ AC68?2?4J — 4@>>@? 4@?5:E:@?D E92E A6@A=6 7246 E9C@F89@FE E96 52J E92E H@F=5?’E 36 4@G6C65 :7 E9:D A=2? H6C6 E@ A2DD]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m“~FC 4@?46C? :D H6 H2?E A6@A=6 E@ 92G6 277@C523=6 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 2?5 25>:C6 p{up 7@C H92E E96J’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 5@ E@ 7:?5 E96:C 4@?DF>6CD 277@C523=6 962=E9 :?DFC2?46[” p52>D 25565] “qFE H92E E96J’C6 @776C:?8 E96> :D ?@E C62==J 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 2E 2==[ ?@C :D :E C62==J 2?J D@CE @7 962=E9 4@G6C286]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$96 >2J G6CJ H6== 36 4@CC64E :? 96C 4C:E:BF6[ 3FE E96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ @A6C2E:?8 :? E96 4@?DF>6C 25G@42E6 =2?6 DEC:<6D >6 2D 2 =:EE=6 @55]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mxE D66>D 2D :7 E96 A6C764E :D E96 6?6>J @7 E96 8@@5 :? E9:D 4C:E:BF6[ 3FE H9J :D 2? @C82?:K2E:@? H:E9 E96 C6AFE2E:@? @7 7:89E:?8 42?46C 2==@42E:?8 AC64:@FD C6D@FC46D E@ E9:D 7:89Enk^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96C6 :D 2 3FJ6C 36H2C6^>@C2= 92K2C5 4@>A@?6?E E@ p{up 4@G6C286] !6C92AD J@F 2C6 2 962=E9J J@F?8 72C>6C 2?5 5@ ?@E ?646DD2C:=J ?665 2? 6IA6?D:G6[ 2==\6?4@>A2DD:?8 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 A=2?]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mxE :D =:<6 C6?E:?8 2 42C 2?5 @AE:?8 @FE @7 E96 42C C6?E2= 4@>A2?J’D 2FE@ :?DFC2?46 @776C:?8] x7 J@F AFC492D6 E96 p{up A=2?[ J@F D9@F=5 36 2H2C6 E92E E9:D A=2? H:== ?@E 4@G6C 42?46C] x7 J@F ?665 42?46C 4@G6C286[ E96? E9:D A=2? :D ?@E 7@C J@F]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 4C:E:4:D> @7 E96 p{up A=2? :D 72:C[ 3FE E96 E2<62H2J :D E92E 72C>6CD 2C6 36EE6C @77 H:E9 ?@E9:?8]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 p{up A=2? :D 2 8@@5\72:E9 86DEFC6 3J 2? @C82?:K2E:@? E92E :D ?@E ?646DD2C:=J 42A23=6 @7 @776C:?8 2 7F== 4@G6C286 A=2?[ 3FE :D =@@<:?8 @FE 7@C :ED >6>36CD9:A]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mx7 E96 p{up >6>36CD9:A H2?ED E92E 962=E9 4@G6C286 @AE:@? @776C65 :? E96 >2C<6EA=246[ H9J D9@F=5 E96J 36 56?:65 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ[ 2DDF>:?8 E96J 2C6 65F42E65 23@FE E96 C:D<Dnk^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m(9@ :D E96 p>6C:42? r2?46C $@4:6EJ @C 2?J @E96C 8C@FA E92E 42? =@33J E96 p=232>2 {68:D=2EFC6 282:?DE :Enk^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?ms6DA:E6 E96D6 AC@E6DE2E:@?D[ J@F 5@ ?@E 962C 2? 2=E6C?2E:G6 AC@A@D2=] xE :D ?@E 2D :7 qrq$ @C 2?J @E96C 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 AC@G:56C :D C6DA@?5:?8 H:E9 2?@E96C @AE:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m“*@F 5@ H:E9@FE D:?46 H6 5@ ?@E =:<6 E9:D AC@A@D65 49@:46]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%92E :D @?6 96== @7 2 >6DD286 7C@> 2? @C82?:K2E:@? E2D<65 H:E9 255C6DD:?8 D@4:6EJ’D >@DE D:8?:7:42?E 962=E9 E9C62E]k^DA2?mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.