Steve Flowers: Legislative session begins
As the 2021 Regular Legislative Session begins, you will see new leadership in the state Senate. Republicans dominate both chambers, overwhelmingly. They have a supermajority and dominate all issues and the budgeting process. They acknowledge the handful of Democrats, but really never give them any say in decision making. Therefore, the leadership is determined within the Republican caucus. President Pro Tem, Del Marsh, decided in late November to step down from the all-powerful position of President Pro Tem of the Senate. Marsh had announced a few months earlier that he would not run for reelection to his Anniston based Senate Seat in the 2022 Elections. Many Montgomery insiders had foreseen this change in leadership for a while. The succession of state Senator Greg Reed of Jasper to the Pro Tem leadership of the Senate post was expected, as was the ascension of Senator Clay Scofield of Marshall County to the Majority Leader position. Greg Reed’s anointment to the omnipotent President Pro Tem position is a natural transition for the Alabama Senate. He is a real leader and well respected by his colleagues. This progression has been in the works for a while. Reed is a perfect choice to lead the Alabama State Senate. He is very organized and meticulous with excellent planning and organizational skills. Senator Clay Scofield is one of the most likeable people in the Senate. He is very jovial and friendly but deceptively effective. He is a young, prominent farmer from Sand Mountain and he will be a great Majority Leader. First-term State Senator Donnie Chesteen of Geneva/ Houston is doing a yeoman’s job working to expand rural broadband in the state. He served eight years in the House before moving to the Senate in 2018. The Democrats may have a superstar emerging in the Senate with Kirk Hatcher of Montgomery. Hatcher is in his first term in the Alabama House. When Senator David Burkette left the Montgomery Democratic Senate Seat last year, an open race to fill the seat began. Hatcher entered and led a six-person field with an impressive 48%. Second place finisher, veteran former Representative, John Knight, could barely muster 20%. Hatcher finished Knight off in a December runoff. Kirk Hatcher joins his fellow Morehouse graduates, Mayor Steven Reed and Probate Judge J.C. Love, as the new, young leadership of Montgomery. This triumvirate cadre of leaders all grew up together in Montgomery. All three went off to Morehouse and came home to lead their city. They are an impressive threesome. Democrats in the House and Senate would like to see early voting and absentee voting made easier in Alabama. However, their efforts to allow early voting or no-excuse absentee voting faces a dismal outlook in the GOP controlled legislature. The state saw an amazing record-breaking 318,000 absentee ballots cast in the November election. The previous record was 89,000. The rules were loosened by Secretary of State John Merrill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a dozen counties opened courthouses on Saturday for people to cast in-person absentee ballots. State Representative Chris England, who also chairs the Alabama Democratic Party, has opined that the long lines and extensive absentee ballot voting shows that people want opportunities to vote early. England and House Democratic Leader Anthony Daniels of Huntsville will push for change in the state voting laws that give Alabamians the opportunity to vote early, permanently. Daniels and England are young superstars to watch. Chris England gets his leadership abilities honestly. His father is legendary Tuscaloosa Circuit Judge and former State Supreme Court Justice and University of Alabama Trustee, John England. The apple does not fall far from the tree. Chris is also a prominent Tuscaloosa lawyer in his own right. The House leadership will remain intact and continue their well-organized operating procedures. Speaker Mac McCutcheon is mild mannered, gentlemanly, and well-liked. He and the popular Republican Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter from DeKalb County work well together in organizing the super Republican Majority House of Representatives. Veteran Mobile Legislator Victor Gaston is steady as Pro Tem. The glue that holds the House together and makes it successful are the two Budget Chairmen Steve Clouse of Ozark and Bill Poole of Tuscaloosa. Clouse and Poole have chaired the House Ways and Means Committees for almost a decade. They do an excellent job. Both budgets originate in the House. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Special session possible to renew industrial incentives
The Alabama Jobs Act, which provides tax credits and rebates to new industries, will expire on Dec. 31.
Renaming Alabama bridge for John Lewis opposed in Selma
Some say renaming the Edmund Pettus Bridge for John Lewis, who died Friday, would dishonor local activists who spent years advocating for civil rights before Lewis arrived in town in the 1960s.
Police in Huntsville use tear gas, smoke on protesters
Law enforcement officers in Huntsville deployed smoke canisters and a chemical agent.
Del Marsh: New statehouse with COVID cash should be discussed
Marsh said the Statehouse construction idea isn’t a priority but could be discussed if funds are left over.
Lawmakers approve $1.25 billion school bond issue
Kay Ivey proposed the bond issue in her State of the State address earlier this year.
Lawmakers return for shortened session
Only 60 members of the 105-member House answered roll.
House minority leader: Irresponsible to pass budgets now
Legislative leaders plan to resume the session on May 4.
Kay Ivey proposes $1 billion school bond issue
Ivey first announced the project in her State of the State address on Tuesday night.
Kay Ivey calls for prison overhaul, lottery study group
Kay Ivey detailed a wide-ranging agenda in her annual address to the legislature.
Gas tax supporters optimistic as bill goes to divided House
As she stakes out an agenda for her first full term as governor, one of Republican Gov. Kay Ivey’s initiatives is a proposed 10-cent-a-gallon gas tax increase to fund road and bridge construction. But to be successful, she first must clear attempted roadblocks from some members of her own party. Republican leaders in the GOP-dominated Alabama Legislature lined up in support of Ivey’s proposal, and said they are optimistic it will win approval. But the Alabama Republican Party executive committee passed a resolution opposing the increase and some Republican lawmakers say they are opposed. Ivey pitched the issue as a necessity to address crumbling infrastructure, holding a press conference by an aging rural bridge that local officials say could soon be closed because of safety concerns. “This is an issue that is felt by every Alabamian,” Ivey said. Rep. Bill Poole, the sponsor of the gas tax legislation, said he is “optimistic we will be able to secure the support that will be necessary to pass it.” “It’s a hard issue. It’s is going to be a passionate debate. It is perfectly fine for folks to disagree on options, but at the end of the day this is the best option that we have to address this issue in my opinion,” Poole said. The proposed 10-cent gas tax increase would be phased in over three years. The tax would then be indexed to construction costs so it could be adjusted up to a penny every two years without legislative approval. Alabama’s current state gas tax of 18 cents a gallon has been unchanged since 1992 and is among the lowest in the nation, according to comparisons from the American Petroleum Institute. Lawmakers anticipate that Ivey will call a special session to focus attention on the bill and bypass a tough procedural hurdle that requires a three-fifths vote to bring bills up for debate before state budgets in a regular session. Debate on the bill will begin in the 105-member House of Representatives where lawmakers appear divided. Rep. Tommy Hanes, a Republican from Bryant, said he will vote no. “I will be a no simply because working people with families and senior citizens on fixed incomes cannot live with new taxes,” Hanes said. Hanes said the people of his district are telling him to vote against the gas tax increase. Additionally, the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee last week approved a resolution opposing the increase because it would increase people’s total tax burden unless there is a tax cut somewhere else. The resolution opposing the gas tax increase passed with 61 percent approval. The 105-member House has 27 freshmen members. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said during the election that he had counseled Republican candidates that this is an issue they could see in their first session. McCutcheon expressed optimism about the bill’s chances. “I’m getting responses and they are all positive from the members in the House. They are beginning to study the bill,” McCutcheon said. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said House Democrats have mixed views. Daniels said some lawmakers support the tax because of the need to improve local road and bridge conditions, particularly in rural areas. Others are opposed or can’t commit until they see the legislation. “I don’t think anybody disagrees that there is a need for infrastructure and support for infrastructure. I don’t think anyone is disputing that. There is also a need for Medicaid expansion to save our rural hospitals,” Daniels said. The legislative session begins Tuesday at noon. Republished with permission of the Associated Press
Alabama House Democrats announce statewide Town Hall and Listening Tour
Over the next month, members of the Alabama House Democratic Caucus will be hosting a statewide Town Hall & Listening Tour where caucus members across the state will hold meetings with local constituents to hear about their priorities and concerns ahead of the upcoming legislative session. “With so many issues and challenges facing us in the upcoming session, these meetings provide a great opportunity to ensure we are prioritizing our citizens concerns,” said Huntsville-Democrat, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels. The Town Hall and Listening Tour schedule: Feb. 12: Rep. Thomas Jackson’s Clarke County Town Hall meeting (in Thomasville) Feb. 18: Rep. Prince Chestnut’s Dallas County Town Hall meeting (in Selma) Feb. 21: Rep. Adline Clarke, Rep. Napolean Bracy Jr., Rep. Sam Jones, Rep. Barbara Drummond, Sen. Vivian Figures host in Mobile, Ala. Feb. 23: Reps. Jeremy Gray and Barry Forte‘s Russell County Town Hall meeting (in Phenix City) Feb. 28: Rep. Jeremy Gray and Rep. Pebblin Warren‘s Lee County Town Hall meeting (in Opelika) Additional events to be held in Huntsville, Montgomery and Birmingham.
