Steve Flowers: Inside the Statehouse
Flowers pays homage to legendary Alabama leaders who have passed away.
Steve Flowers: Road rage and deer hunting bills take center stage in legislature
Over 20 years ago when I was a legislator the State Trooper assigned to my county asked if he could come visit with me. “Of course,” I said. When he came he had a somber look on his face. I thought maybe he had a serious personal problem or had lost a loved one. He began, “This may not sound like a major highway problem, but one of the things that causes a good many accidents and incidents on our roads is people driving slow in the left lane and not moving over.” I never pursued legislation to this effect. However, he made me aware of the need to remedy this problem. Well, finally, a legislator has taken up this legislation. Rep. Phillip Pettus, a Republican from Lauderdale County, who by the way retired as a captain in the Alabama State Troopers after a 25-year career, has passed legislation to remedy this problem. He calls his Bill, “The Anti-Road Rage Act.” The Bill would prohibit drivers from staying in the left most lane on interstates for more than a mile and a half without passing another vehicle. Pettus explained, “People get ill when they come up behind people driving slow in the left lane and they are wanting to get by. Interstates were set up for the movement of traffic. This will make interstate traffic move better if the said road rage causes more wrecks than accident records would indicate, like when angry drivers cut in front of another vehicle and cause that vehicle to run off the road.” The House has passed the Bill on a 61-24 vote. It awaits action in the Senate. It has been 20 years since I was in the Legislature, and during the entire time I was there we had a perennial issue that would surface every year; whether or not to let deer hunters hunt deer with dogs. Today the issue has evolved into whether or not to allow hunters to use bait to attract deer. This Bill has become an annual debate in the Legislature. Both sides are ardent and take their deer hunting seriously. Well it looks like the baiters have finally won. Rep. Danny Crawford (Republican-Limestone) has passed legislation that gives hunters the option of hunting over bait. The bill passed overwhelmingly in both chambers. The deer hunting issue has been around forever. During the 1950’s and 60’s there was a legendary legislative sage named Rankin Fite of Marion County. Ole Rankin had been in the Legislature a long time. He was actually Speaker of the House well into the 1970’s when the first Ethic Laws were passed. Rankin was one of only six House members to vote against the Ethics Law. After the vote the media asked the former Speaker why he voted against the Ethics Law. He wryly replied, “It wasn’t tough enough.” He further pontificated this advice, “I voted for every tax, voting for taxes won’t beat you.” “I just voted against the Ethics Bill, voting against ethics won’t beat you.” “The issues you need to avoid are voting on daylight savings time or hunting deer with dogs.” Gov. Kay Ivey has done a good job with her judicial appointments throughout the state. In 2017, she appointed Circuit Judge Brad Mendheim of Dothan to the Supreme Court to fill a vacancy. Mendheim is a very well qualified jurist to sit on the state’s highest judicial tribunal. Mendheim is extremely well liked and respected in his native Houston County. In the 2018 elections, Mendheim lost a close election to Judge Sarah Stewart of Mobile. Gov. Ivey wisely reappointed Mendheim to the Court in the place of Justice Tom Parker who was elected Chief Justice. Former Chief Justice Lynn Stuart, who Tom Parker replaced, has taken a seat on the State Ethics Commission. Judge Stuart was a Baldwin County Judge for 12 years prior to being elected to the Supreme Court in 2000. She served 18 years on the Supreme Court. Her term on the Ethics Commission is for four years, through August of 2023. Gov. Ivey has set the Special Election dates for the seat of Dimitri Polizos in Montgomery. Dimitri, a popular restaurateur in the Capital City, died in March. The first primary is June 11 with a runoff on August 27. It is a Republican seat, which has drawn a crowded field of candidates. 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 election dates set for Montgomery’s House District 74
Governor Kay Ivey announced today that she has set the primary election to fill the vacancy left by Representative Dimitri Polizos. Polizos passed away suddenly after a massive heart attack last week. The general election will be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 if a runoff is necessary than it will be held on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 if not, that will be the date of the general election. If a runoff is required than the general will be held Tuesday, November 12, 2019. “In order to ensure that House District 74 is equally represented in the Alabama Legislature, I have set a timeline to elect a new representative,” Governor Ivey said. “Dimitri was, without a doubt, a pillar of the Montgomery community and will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. To honor his legacy, I encourage all citizens that live in this district to participate in our valued democratic process.” The deadline for qualifying with major political parties is Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. The deadline for all independent candidates and/or minor parties is Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. House District 74 represents a portion of Montgomery County.
State Rep. Dimitri Polizos dies at 68
Alabama State Representative Dimitri Polizos, 68, died Wednesday morning after suffering from a massive heart attack on Tuesday the Alabama House of Representatives has confirmed. Polizos was first elected to the House District 74 seat during a December 2013 special election after the seat was left vacant following Jay Love’s resignation to work for the Business Council of Alabama. He was reelected in 2014 and 2018. He served on the Montgomery County Commission prior to his time in the House, from 2004 to 2013. Monrovia-Republican and Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon called Polizos a good friend. “He championed the cause of small business and was always watchful that tax dollars were being spent wisely,” said McCutcheon. “My wife Debbie and I offer our heartfelt sympathy to his family.” Rainsville-Republican and House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter released the following statement regarding Polizos’ passing on Wednesday: The members of the House Republican Caucus are profoundly saddened by the loss of our friend, our colleague, and our fellow lawmaker, State Rep. Dimitri Polizos. Throughout his legislative service, Rep. Polizos demonstrated his commitment to the conservative principles and ideals that remain at the core of our Alabama Republican Party, and he worked each day to ensure that the needs of his legislative district were met. A tireless worker for both his constituents and his customers, Rep. Polizos would often spend all day representing his district in the Alabama State House and devote all night to serving the patrons of his famous Mr. G’s restaurant. In the sometimes partisan and rancorous atmosphere of the Alabama State House, Rep. Polizos was universally respected, liked, and appreciated by members on both sides of the political aisle, which offers true testament to his innate kindness and easygoing nature. House District 74 is better for having had Dimitri Polizos as its state representative, and all of us who served with him are better for having had the privilege of calling him our friend. The thoughts and prayers of all of the members of the House Republican Caucus remain with his family at this time of great loss. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, three children and five grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.
