Mike Jones named House Rules Committee Chairman
Two-term representative Andalusia-Republican Rep. Mike Jones was named chairman of the House Rules Committee, Monrovia-Republican Speaker Mac McCutcheon announced Wednesday. Jones, previously the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee who oversaw the probe into former Gov. Robert Bentley’s impeachment investigation, replaces Troy-Republican Rep. Alan Boothe. Boothe vacated the post earlier this week when he announced he would not seek re-election to the House in 2018. “The attention to detail and fairness that he demonstrated and the deep respect that he earned from members on both sides of the aisle are exactly what we need in a House Rules Committee chairman, so I am proud to make this appointment,” McCutcheon said in a statement. Tasked with drafting the list of bills the House will consider each day, the Rules is considered one of the House’s most powerful committees. Jones promised his colleagues he would keep an “open door and an open mind toward issues, bills and resolutions that they consider important.” It is not yet clear who McCutcheon will choose to succeed Jones as the head of the Judiciary Committee.
House delays votes on tax increase proposals
The Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday delayed debate on proposed tax increases that have divided some Republican legislators, despite being backed by the GOP caucus. The House effort to fill a hole in the General Fund stumbled at least temporarily with just nine meeting days remaining in the Legislative Session. “We are running out of time,” Gov. Robert Bentley said Tuesday. “They’ve got to make up their mind what they’re going to do in the House, because it has to originate in the House, but here again, I’m somewhat optimistic that at least some or maybe all of these bills will pass.” The House Rules Committee had proposed a debate agenda for the GOP proposal, which was anchored by a 25-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase. The Rules Committee replaced the debate agenda for the day with a slate of unrelated bills, but could bring the tax bills again as soon as Thursday. “Some of the budget bills are being prepared for consideration on the floor. We felt it best today that we want that calendar to be right before we bring it on the floor,” Rules Committee Chairman Mac McCutcheon, a Republican of Capshaw, said. House Minority Leader Craig Ford of Gadsden asked McCutcheon whether that meant they were “still looking for votes.” McCutcheon responded that the budget bills needed to be “right” because the state is facing a “real crisis.” Some Republican legislators have said they oppose the bills that were brought by their caucus. Guntersville Republican Will Ainsworth said he planned to vote against the bills. “I ran on no new taxes,” Ainsworth said. “I’m going to honor that commitment to the voters of my district.” Alabama faces a projected General Fund shortfall of about $280 million in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Bentley proposed a $541 million tax increase to avoid what he has described as draconian cuts to state services, such as the closing state parks and prison facilities, and deep cuts to mental health services. The governor, however, has found limited support. The House GOP caucus last week announced support for a plan to raise $150 million in new revenue. Other bills include proposals to raise the title fee on automobiles from $15 to $25, to raise the business privilege tax, and to change how motor oil is taxed. “It’s about 35 percent of the money that we truly need to solve this problem long term,” Bentley said. “But it is a start in the right direction, and I’m very pleased that they have started that and hopefully they will vote on that on Thursday.” Bentley said he thought the delay in the House vote would allow more time for those against new taxes to reconsider. “I’m not sure that they’ll pass all of them, but I do believe that they will pass at least some of the taxes. … We will have to come back for some more later on in the summer, because we need to solve this once and for all … and we can do that,” he said. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, an Anniston Republican, was less optimistic. “I’ll believe a revenue bill from the House when it comes up from the House,” Marsh said. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Filibuster delays House decision on voter registration
Debate on a set of voting rights bills was delayed again Tuesday as House Democrats took turns speaking in an effort to filibuster. The bills would push the deadline to register to vote from 14 days to 30 days before an election, require photo ID with all absentee ballot applications, and require county election boards to purge voter lists of possibly deceased or ineligible voters. As speaker after speaker took to the podium Tuesday during the scheduled motion to adopt a special calendar, House Democrats framed the measures as an effort to further challenge – rather than expand – voter rights in Alabama. “Over the last election cycle, we had the lowest voting turnout in state history,” Rep. Darrio Melton said. “And that low turnout was based on the laws we already have. We need to be making this process easier, not more difficult. These new laws would only push us backwards.” Lawmakers urged the House to consider public hearings and further debate on the following proposed laws: HB 293 requires voters to submit photo identification with absentee ballot applications. Under the proposed legislation, no ballot could be issued until the photo ID requirement is satisfied. HB 323 outlines how each county’s board of registrars will investigate reports that a registered voter has died or moved out of their precinct. HB 104 changes deadlines for registering or updating voter information from 14 to 30 days before Election Day. In addition, the measure prohibits campaign materials or partisan outreach within 150 feet of a polling place. Currently, materials and campaign workers are allowed within 30 feet of the polls. By contrast, the Kennedy-McClammy Act, HB 344, sponsored by Rep. Mike Jones, passed to the Senate with bipartisan support (99/1). The act prescribes a comprehensive list of felonies that involve moral turpitude, or conduct contrary to standards of justice or morality. Under Alabama’s constitution, those convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude are disqualify from voting. County election boards are currently free to adopt their own definitions, which can lead to subjective treatment of ex-offenders and uneven reinstatement of voting rights. With adoption of a uniform definition, those convicted of a felony would have clear guidelines for getting their vote reinstated. Because the speeches took place during a routine calendar motion by the House Rules Committee – not during the debate on the bills themselves – there was little opportunity for House Republicans to counter arguments on the provisions in each bill. At the start of the session, Representative Jack Williams told AL.com that he sponsored HB 104 after hearing from poll workers that the tight deadline made it difficult to prepare for Election Day.
Pete Sessions welcomes Bradley Byrne to U.S. House Rules Committee
Fairehope U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne has joined the powerful U.S. House Rules Committee, raising the sophomore representative’s profile as well as the collective clout of Alabama’s congressional delegation. Tuesday was his first day. Alabama Today asked committee Chairman Pete Sessions how Bryne’s first day went. “Our committee works hard on issues that are important to the American people, and I can already tell, from Day One, that Congressman Byrne is ready to roll his sleeves up and dive into these issues,” Session said. “He brings a fresh passion to the Rules Committee, all while keeping in mind what’s important to his folks back home.” In a news release on the appointment, Session expressed pleasure at Byrne’s ascension to the 13-member panel. “I am pleased to welcome my friend and colleague Bradley Byrne to our Committee,” Sessions said. “An accomplished lawyer, local advocate and state senator, Congressman Byrne is deeply devoted to causes he believes in and is willing to work hard on issues in Washington that are important to his constituents in Alabama. “His commitment to a small, conservative federal government and a strong national defense will be an asset to the Speaker’s Committee, and I look forward to working with him,” Sessions said. Byrne was named to the panel by House Speaker John Boehner who praised Byrne, saying he has “distinguished himself as an effective legislator focused on issues that matter to his constituents in Alabama.” Byrne’s Alabama’s 1st Congressional District includes Washington, Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia and Monroe counties, as well as part of Clarke County.
