Sylvia Swayne and Travis Hendrix advance to Democratic runoff in House District 55
Democratic voters went to the polls on Tuesday in the House District 55 special Democratic primary, and Travis Hendrix received the most votes. Sylvia Swayne narrowly beat out Phyllis E. Holden-Jones for second place and a spot in the special Democratic primary runoff on October 24. This vacancy in the Alabama House of Representatives was due to the resignation of Rep. Fred Plump (D-Fairfield) after he entered a plea deal in a federal corruption probe that has rocked the Alabama Legislature. Travis Hendrix received 670 votes (27.91%) in this crowded Democratic primary field. Sylvia Swayne had 515 votes (21.45%), earning her a spot in the runoff by just 30 votes. Oden-Jones received 485 votes (20.20%) in her third-place finish. Cara McClure received 364 votes (15.16%). Ves Marable received 180 votes (7.50%). Former Tarrant Mayor Kenneth Coachman received 106 votes (4.41%). Antwon Bernard Womack received 81 votes (3.37%). These are the preliminary vote counts available from the Secretary of State’s office when Alabama Today went to print and are subject to change. The provisional ballots still have to be considered, so the vote totals could change. Hendrix is a former school resource officer. He has the endorsements of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville), the Alabama Forestry Association, and more groups. “I was born and raised in Ensley’s Tuxedo Court Public Housing Community,” Hendrix said on his website. “Today, Tuxedo Terrace housing community stands in place of the old Tuxedo Court, affectionately known as “the Brickyard.” Growing up in this area exposed me to the harsh realities faced by many residents, but it also instilled in me the values of service, sacrifice, and the power of prayer, thanks to the strong influence of my grandmother.” “I pursued my education at Ensley High School and later completed a GED program,” Hendrix continued. “I then attended Miles College and went on to earn my bachelor’s degree. I then furthered my education, and I obtained a master’s degree from Oakland City University. Alongside my educational journey, I take immense pride in being a devoted father, an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and a law enforcement officer. I have served as a school resource officer and on a task force dedicated to the public housing community. I take public safety seriously. Throughout my life, I have consistently pushed beyond established standards and exceeded expectations. I firmly believe that District 55 deserves a leader who possesses both the capabilities and the unwavering determination to advocate for change. I am committed to tirelessly fighting until our shared vision for the community is realized.” Swayne was the only white candidate in the crowded primary field and, if elected, would be the only openly trans person to ever be elected in the state of Alabama. Swayne has the support of the LGBTQ+ community, including former State Rep. Patricia Todd. Swayne is extremely popular on TikTok. Swayne is a 2019 graduate of the University of Alabama. “Part of the reason I’m running is this idea that trans people and drag queens and other members of the LGBT community are this threat to society, and that is purely artificially injected into the conversation,” Swayne told Teen Vogue. “Whether or not people support us as trans people is not my concern. My concern is while they’re using the trans community, and the LGBT community at large, to distract all of us, they’re leaving the rest of Alabama behind. We all lose when we engage in divisive politics and pointing fingers at one group while disenfranchising another.” The October 24 Democratic primary runoff will likely decide this race. There was no special Republican primary in HD55, and there was no Republican candidate in the general election. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Chris Brown said on Tuesday night at the Jefferson County GOP meeting in Homewood, “We tried to recruit a candidate” and couldn’t. Brown and Republican Minority GOP Chairman Phillip Brown said Tuesday night that they met with a prospective candidate they tried to recruit but failed to convince him to run in the heavily Democratic majority-minority district. They told executive committee members that they are actively looking for a candidate in neighboring House District 52, where the incumbent is John Rogers (D-Birmingham) is 83 years old and “tied up in the same corruption scandal as Plump.” Plump has admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in community improvement grants for a rec league that he ran from Rogers. Plump admitted then paying roughly half of that money to Rogers’ longtime legislative assistant, Varrie Johnson Kindall, with whom he claims was romantically involved. Ms. Kindall is facing 21 federal indictments for her role in this alleged corruption conspiracy. “We don’t know that there is going to be an opening (in HD52), but we want to be ready if there is,” Chris Brown said. At this point, Rep. Rogers has not been indicted and has denied any wrongdoing. The eventual winner in HD55 will serve for the remainder of Plump’s term and will have to face the voters in 2026 like the rest of the Alabama Legislature. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Democratic Primary in House District 55 is Tuesday
Democratic voters in House District 55 go to the polls on Tuesday to elect their candidate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of State Representative Fred Plump (D-Fairfield). Kenneth Coachman, Travis Hendrix, Ves Marable, Cara McClure, Phyllis E. Oden-Jones, Sylvia Swayne, and Antwon Bernard Womack are all running in the special Democratic primary. This is likely a winner-take-all primary as no Republican qualified in this Birmingham area majority-minority district. Kenneth Coachman is the former Mayor of Fairfield. He was elected as Mayor in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. Fairfield was hit hard by the Great Recession, and even Wal-Mart moved out of the city. Coachman works at Miles College as the chief of staff to the President. Travis Hendrix has a degree from Miles College and a master’s degree from Oakland City University. He is a former school resource officer and served on a task force dedicated to the public housing community. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), and House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels have all endorsed Hendrix. Ves Marable is a musician. He has a bachelor’s degree from Alabama State University and a doctorate from UAB. He has held a number of major positions with state government, including serving on the Pardons and Parole Board. He has served on the Fairfield City Council. Marable has been endorsed by the powerful Alabama Democratic Conference as well as the Progressive Democratic Council and the United Mine Workers of America. Sylvia Swayne is the first openly trans candidate in the state of Alabama. He identifies as a woman. Sylvia is endorsed by LPAC, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to electing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) women and nonbinary people to public office, and by former State Rep. Patricia Todd. Swayne has 30,000 followers on TikTok. Swayne has a degree from the University of Alabama. Cara McClure founded the nonprofit Faith & Works, whose goal is to bridge the gap between the faith community and social activists. She co-founded the Birmingham chapter of Black Lives Matter. She worked for Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign. She studied at Jacksonville State and Alabama State. Phyllis E. Oden-Jones is a retired Birmingham Police senior detective. She is a veteran politician who has served on the Fairfield City Council. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UAB. Antwon Bernard Womack is a perennial candidate. Womack has a Master’s in business administration from Dartmouth College’s Amos Tuck School of Business Administration and a bachelor’s in economics from Yale University. He has some experience as a union organizer. Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. is also the deadline for any independent or minor party candidates to turn in all of their filled-in paperwork, including the necessary ballot access petitions, to the Secretary of State office. Rep. Plump resigned after he pleaded guilty to corruption charges involving kickbacks to a longtime legislative aide for State Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham). The polls open at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday and close at 7:00 p.m. HD55 voters who wish to participate in this special election must bring a valid photo ID to the polls. There is no same-day registration in Alabama, and voters must vote only at the polling place they are assigned. The special general election will be on January 9. If necessary, there will be a special Democratic primary on October 24. This is one of three open seats in the Alabama House of Representatives. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
National organization questions transparency of Alabama’s business incentives
Alabama hands out millions of dollars in industrial incentives to lure jobs to the state, but taxpayers are too often left in the dark about the deals and what the state ultimately gets in return, a new report from an advocacy group said. Jobs to Move America, a worker advocacy and research nonprofit, released a report Tuesday saying Alabama does a poor job compared to other states in disclosing information about incentives. “Alabama taxpayers are left in the dark about even the most basic details of these deals,” the report stated. “The state does not provide any transparency around which companies are receiving economic development incentives, how much they’re getting, how many jobs are created (or not) and at what wage level.” The report was compiled by Patricia Todd, a former Democratic legislator in the Alabama House of Representatives, who described her difficulty as an elected representative in trying to obtain more information about the projects. “We’re not against incentives,” Todd said. “There’s needs to be more accountability and transparency on how these deals are doled out.” Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield, in a response to the report, defended the state’s use and disclosure of incentives. “We can point to numerous examples where incentives have played a role in industrial growth and job creation across Alabama. This includes Mercedes and other automakers, along with Airbus and other companies that have put down roots in Alabama.” The department said it routinely releases information regarding incentives on major projects as they are announced, and Commerce Department said Canfield provides a report on incentives authorized under the Alabama Jobs Act to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee. But Todd said the reports lack details about individual projects, including the name of the company. ThyssenKrupp, in 2007 agreed to locate its new steel-processing plant to Mobile after receiving a package of state and local incentives. Todd said she and her colleagues in 2006 approved raising the debt limit for the state’s incentive fund based on assurances from the governor that it was necessary to win the project. Six years later, ThyssenKrupp sold the plant, amid fallout from the recession, to another company. The group recommended several changes, including annual public hearings on corporate subsidies, an economic development budget that would provide a comprehensive accounting of all economic development programs. It also recommends hiring an independent party to evaluate each incentive and provide a report on a public website that includes the amount of incentive, pay scale of workers, return on investment, and job outcomes. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
House drops resistance, OKs medical marijuana bill
The Alabama House of Representatives overcame years of resistance in approving medical marijuana legislation on Thursday, voting after two days of long and emotional debate in which key Republican lawmakers described switching sides in favor of the proposal. Representatives voted 68-34 to pass the bill, which would allow people with a qualifying medical condition to purchase medical marijuana with the recommendation of a doctor. The bill now returns to the Alabama Senate to settle differences or be sent to a conference committee. The state Senate had already approved the bill last February by a 21-8 vote after just 15 minutes of debate. But the House of Representatives had traditionally been more skeptical of medical marijuana proposals and sent the bill through two committees before it reached the House floor. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill. The House approval came eight years after a medical marijuana bill in 2013 won that year’s so-called “Shroud Award” for the “deadest” bill of the year in the House of Representatives. But Republican Rep. Mike Ball, who handled the bill in the House, said “hearts and minds” have slowly been changed on the issue. Ball, a former state trooper and state investigator, said he also changed his stance on medical marijuana, becoming emotional at times as he discussed the bill’s House passage. “Every year that we delay getting help to people who need it, there are more people and more people who are suffering because of it. We’ve still got another year or so before this gets set up and cranked up, but at least we have hope now,” Ball said. More than a dozen conditions, including cancer, a terminal illness, depression, epilepsy, panic disorder, and chronic pain would allow a person to qualify. The bill would allow marijuana in forms such as pills, skin patches, and creams but not in smoking or vaping products. Representatives voted to name the bill after the son of Democratic Rep. Laura Hall. She first introduced a medical marijuana bill over a decade ago after her son Wesley ‘Ato’ Hall died of AIDS. Representatives debated the bill for nearly 10 hours Tuesday until lawmakers adjourned shortly before midnight without a vote. Lawmakers did not meet Wednesday and representatives approved the bill Thursday after two hours of debate. The lengthy debate brought impassioned discussion that included lawmakers expressing fervent opposition. Others spoke, however, of changing their minds on the issue after witnessing the illnesses of family members. “This can change the quality of life for the people that we love,” said Republican Rep. Allen Farley, a former police officer. The bill had faced an earlier filibuster from opposed Republicans, who worried that it could be a gateway to recreational use or that medical marijuana could end up in the hands of teens. “What makes us think we know more than the FDA. My other thought is what if we’re wrong. What if we approve and pass this bill and it is a gateway like it has been for Colorado,” Republican Rep. Rich Wingo of Tuscaloosa said Tuesday. A medical marijuana bill in 2013 won the Shroud Award for the “deadest bill” in the House. “They laughed at me,” former Democratic state Rep. Patricia Todd, the sponsor of the 2013 bill said Thursday of the reaction she got from some Republicans at the time. “I’m glad to see it passed. It’s long overdue,” Todd said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Judge Greg Griffin won’t recuse in Alabama Democratic Party dispute
An judge on Thursday refused to step aside in a lawsuit over who is in control of the Alabama Democratic Party as one side of the dispute pushed for the case to be dismissed. Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin said he won’t recuse in the lawsuit brought by longtime chair Nancy Worley. Defendants had asked Griffin to step aside because of longstanding ties to party officer Joe Reed, who supports Worley. Griffin did not elaborate on his reasons in the one-page order. Both Worley and state Rep. Chris England say they are the properly elected party chair. Worley and Vice-Chair Randy Kelley had filed the lawsuit to try to block the Nov. 2 meeting where England was elected. They argue his election is illegitimate. Barry Ragsdale, an attorney representing England and other defendants, said the issue of control has been settled since England and new vice-chair Patricia Todd have been elected. National party officials recognize their election, he said. “Worley and Kelley desperately want to ignore those overwhelming decisions by the ADP and cling to the twilight of their days in power,” attorneys for defendants in the case wrote. The Democratic National Committee has certified England and Todd as the new state party leaders, according to the motion to dismiss the lawsuit. DNC Chairman Tom Perez sent England and Todd a letter congratulating them on their elections. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Representative Chris England elected new Alabama Democratic chair; infighting continues
An Alabama state representative was elected chair of the Alabama Democratic Party on Saturday after months of in-house bickering about the party’s leadership. But the election may not settle the ongoing battle between two factions of the party over governance and leadership, as the previously elected chair said she would not step down. Rep. Christopher England, of Tuscaloosa, received 104 of 171 ballots cast at the meeting of the State Democratic Executive Committee, the state party’s governing body, The Montgomery Advertiser reported. “Elected officials had to stand in the gap and create the platform the party did not have,” England said before the vote. “You’ve seen me stand for the issues that matter to us.” The vote came after the approximately 175 members of the SDEC voted 172 to 0 to remove Chair Nancy Worley and Vice-Chair Randy Kelley. After the vote, Worley said she was reelected in 2018 and she intends to continue leading the party. “The true SDEC members did not elect two new officers in our places today,” Worley said in a statement. “Randy and I look forward to continuing our leadership roles.” But the meeting represented a win for a group of Democrats opposed to Worley, who has chaired the state Democratic Party since 2013, and the Democratic National Committee, which ordered the state party in February to hold new elections and revise its bylaws to provide greater diversity on the SDEC. England, 43, a city attorney for Tuscaloosa, has served in the Alabama Legislature since 2006. He has been at the forefront of attempts to change the leadership and direction of the party and pledged before the vote to work to “leave no stone unturned” in rebuilding the party. He promised to rebuild local county organizations and staff up the state party. “As we kick the old folks out, the new folks are coming in,” he said. “We want to seize on that energy. We’re going to raise money, money like you’ve never seen.” Former Rep. Patricia Todd, Democrat-Birmingham, was elected vice-chair. Worley has previously accused the DNC of sending contradictory instructions and of trying to dilute the strength of African American voters in the party. The DNC said Worley missed deadlines and was nonresponsive to instructions. Without the orders implemented, the DNC refused to ratify the state’s delegate selection plan and warned that inaction by the state party could prevent Alabama from being seated at next year’s Democratic National Convention. That would effectively invalidate votes cast in next March’s Democratic presidential primary. A group of SDEC members, backed by U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, drafted a new set of bylaws that were approved by the DNC in September. The members then got a majority of the SDEC to vote to hold a meeting to ratify those bylaws on Oct. 5. At that meeting, the members set leadership elections for Nov. 2. Worley proceeded with her own meeting on Oct. 12, which ratified a second set of bylaws — not approved by the DNC — and set elections for Nov. 16. On Wednesday, Worley and Kelly sued to stop the meeting of the Democrats. Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin blocked the meeting in a decision late Friday, ruling that it would cause “chaos and confusion.” But the Alabama Supreme Court stayed the order about two hours later, allowing the gathering to proceed. The new party bylaws preserve the Minority Caucus to nominate African Americans to the SDEC. But they also create new caucuses to nominate Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, LGBTQ individuals, youth and those with disabilities. Approximately 68 people were seated from the youth, Hispanic, Native American and Asian/Pacific Islander caucuses on Saturday. Information from: Montgomery Advertiser, http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Race to replace Patricia Todd takes negative turn
With the June primary election less than two weeks away, the campaign for the House District 54, to replace outgoing state Rep. Patricia Todd, is getting aggressive — with negative, hateful fliers being distributed to households throughout the District. Up until this point, the highly contested race in the downtown Birmingham district — between Independent Joseph Casper Baker III, and Democratic candidates civil rights lawyer and Alabama Young Democrats Chairman Jerome Dees, Birmingham environmentalist Jacqueline Gray Miller and Neil Rafferty, Director of Birmingham AIDS Outreach — has remained relatively civil. But all of that changed on Thursday when news broke in the “I Believe in Birmingham” Facebook group that a negative flier was being distributed to households in the district. With photos and bios of the four candidates, the flier was a smear tactic against Neil Rafferty. It read: The House Seat 54 was historically black, now it will always be a “gay” seat for the lGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Queer) community; Always! – Pat Todd Paid for by Citizens for COMMON SENSE & RATIONAL BEHAVIOR — NOT FOR SALE. An hour later, candidate Baker caught Kamau Afrika, the several times failed candidate for mayor, in the act of distributing the fliers. Shortly after that he posted, “Unfortunately I must confirm that Kamau was paid by the Dees campaign to canvas.” Turns out Baker was right. Afrika was in fact paid by the Dees campaign to canvas on his behalf. According to Dees’ campaign finance disclosure forms, he paid Afrika $3,500 on May 18. But Dees himself denies granting Afrika permission to distribute the literature, which he says is “disgusting, disappointing, and contrary to everything I stand for and have worked for.” He took to Facebook to address the issue: It has come to my attention that an individual hired to work on my campaign has distributed literature that is homophobic in nature, directed at Neil Rafferty, another candidate in the race for House District 54 whom I have come to know and respect. This literature is disgusting, disappointing, and contrary to everything I stand for and have worked for. I did not approve or condone this, and I am heartbroken that it was done by an individual working on my behalf. I have terminated his services effective immediately, and I offer my most sincere apology to Neil and to other members of the LGBTQ+ community, on whose behalf I have worked tirelessly for years. In love and solidarity, Jerome It appears the quote from Todd on the flier was made up by Afrika. Todd has not responded to Alabama Today for comment to clarify.
LGBTQ nonprofit rescinds Patricia Todd’s job offer after tweet trying to ‘out’ Kay Ivey
An Orlando-based LGBTQ nonprofit has withdrawn its job offer to outgoing Alabama State Rep. Patricia Todd after she posted on social media calling Governor Kay Ivey gay and saying she deserves to be outed. One Orlando Alliance, central Florida’s largest coalition of LGBTQ advocacy groups, had named Todd, Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker, as their new executive director earlier this month. “The Board affirms that Ms. Todd’s recent comments are not aligned with the values of One Orlando Alliance,” said Jennifer Foster, chair of the alliance’s board of directors, which unanimously voted Thursday to withdraw Todd’s employment contract. “We strongly believe that coming out is a personal choice, and we do not support involuntarily outing.” “While Ms. Todd has a well-established record of outstanding service to the community, her lapse in judgment has led us to end our relationship with her,” Foster said. “We admire her many decades of exemplary service and believe that, with the right opportunity, Ms.Todd will continue to use her many talents to make significant progress advocating for justice and equality.” The post On Tuesday, Todd took to both Twitter and Facebook in an effort to “out” Ivey. “Will someone out her for God’s sake….I have heard for years that she is gay and moved her girlfriend out of her house when she became Gov. I am sick of closeted elected officials,” she posted. The Alliance Eighteen organizations formed the alliance in June 2016 following the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando to offer short-term crisis counseling, emergency care packages, and money to victims and their families. Since then, the alliance has grown to more than forty groups with a long-term vision to support and empower LGBTQ residents in central Florida. Todd had been hired to bring together LGBTQ+ organizations and work to transform Central Florida into an accepting and unified community for all. She was set to begin in her new role June 1. Todd did not respond to requests for comment.
We need to focus on results, not rumors
In what universe does a “champion” of the LGBTQ community take to social media in an attempt to “out” another politician/individual as a homosexual? Giving no credence to the accusation itself, I can’t help but wonder why someone who has spent their career advocating for equality and fairness for all, would taking a parting shot meant only to create division, before they head down to Orlando for their new job, to use social media to bully another individual. I will say here what I said when Gov. Robert Bentley‘s personal life became the subject of public discussion, tabloid style innuendo and gossip throughout the State House and every other nook and cranny of Montgomery: unless an individual’s personal life directly impacts their work (which we found to be the case with Gov. Bentley and Rebecca Mason), an individual’s personal life should remain just that. Their personal business. Gov. Kay Ivey is running on a platform of bolstering jobs across the state, of transparency and accountability in government (though we all know I’ve had someone questions about that lately), and any innuendo about her personal life — whether she’s heterosexual or homosexual or anything in between — is none of the voter’s business. Frankly, I won’t be voting for or against Ivey based on her personal life. I’ll be voting for the best candidate for the office of governor, as I do with all candidates and races, based on the merits of each persons qualifications and the direction that I want the state to move in. In this day and age, where society has made much progress towards accepting different lifestyles and choices, we should not speculate about one’s sexuality and it certainly shouldn’t be used as a weapon as Rep. Todd tried to do this week. Again, what is happening in ones bedroom doesn’t really matter in terms of ability to do a given job so long as there aren’t any professional complications to go with the personal actions. Anyone perpetuating this rumor should be ashamed of themselves and needs to focus on the things that really matter for our state and the people in it. We need to focus on results, not rumors. Alabama is at a turning point where we’re slowly making headway against the Bentley fall out and the national headlines that stemmed from the U.S. Senate race. Let’s concentrate on the positive and we have plenty of that at the moment.
Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker Patricia Todd to lead LGBTQ coalition
One Orlando Alliance, central Florida’s largest coalition of LGBTQ advocacy groups, on Tuesday named Birmingham-Democrat state Rep. Patricia Todd executive director. Todd, Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker will lead the LGBTQ coalition in Orlando, Fla., in an effort to bring together LGBTQ+ organizations and work to transform Central Florida into an accepting and unified community for all. Eighteen organizations formed the alliance in June 2016 following the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando to offer short-term crisis counseling, emergency care packages, and money to victims and their families. Since then, the alliance has grown to more than forty groups with a long-term vision to support and empower LGBTQ residents in central Florida. Todd has over three decades of experience advocating for justice and equality. Born and raised in Kentucky, Todd served two years in Washington, D.C. with the National Organization for Women before moving to Alabama. She went on to serve as Executive Director for AIDS Alabama, the statewide HIV/AIDS organization, and State Director for the Human Rights Campaign. In 2006, she garnered national attention when she became the first openly gay elected official to serve in the Alabama House of Representatives. She was re-elected in 2010 without opposition. After serving 12 years, she did not seek re-election. Her farewell speech to the House received a standing ovation. “Patricia has been training for this role her whole life. She’s a natural fit and we’re delighted she’ll be joining the coalition in this important work,” remarked Jennifer Foster, Chair of the Board of Directors and one of the original co-conveners of the Alliance. Todd said of her new position, “I am honored to be selected as the Executive Director for One Orlando Alliance. I look forward to working alongside Alliance members to create a more inclusive Central Florida community.” “The work of One Orlando Alliance serves as a national model for how to pull community together in the wake of unimaginable tragedy,” Todd added. “I’m humbled to help tell that story of the origin and even more excited about our shared vision for a stronger, more unified future. Together, the Alliance will ensure that justice and equality are rights of all who call Central Florida home.” The selection of Todd followed an extensive nation-wide search that began in August, 2017. She will begin her new role on June 1.
Patricia Todd, Alabama’s first gay legislator bids farewell to House
Alabama’s first openly gay legislator bid farewell to the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening. Rep. Patricia Todd, a Democrat from Birmingham, will not seek re-election after serving 12 years. Todd said on the House floor that her colleagues are “incredible, beautiful people” who all treated her with equality, even though some she thought she “would never get along with or like.” Todd sponsored controversial failed legislation including decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and adding sexual orientation as a protected category under hate crime law. She said she hoped she “opened up some hearts and minds” and wouldn’t be the last gay legislator. A gay former Marine is one candidate running for her seat. Todd received a standing ovation after her speech in the House. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Alabama lawmakers pass one of two marijuana bills
On Wednesday, two Alabama bills to lower penalties for marijuana possession went before House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Birmingham-Democrat state Rep. Patricia Todd’s bill, HB272, which sought to change sentencing for possession of one ounce or less to a violation, and to add fines which would not appear on a person’s criminal record, even after repeat offense, failed to pass the House Judiciary Committee. “I’m sad, but it’s an election year. And a lot of people who voted no told me to my face that they were going to vote yes. And I think the roll-call vote scared a lot of people (who) don’t want to look like they’re soft on drugs. But most people sitting there have no concept or understanding of marijuana,” Todd told the Associated Press. The committee voted 7-5 against the bill, Moody-Republican state Rep. Jim Hill, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, believes the bill went too far in saying that possession would be only a violation even after repeat offenses. “I think we’re probably headed toward either some type of either decriminalization or lesser emphasis being placed on marijuana, but it’s illegal. And to say that no matter how many times you use it, how many times it’s personal use, it never rises to the level of a misdemeanor, I just think that’s a mistake,” Hill told AL.com. However, Montgomery-Republican state Sen. Dick Brewbaker’s bill, SB51, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, his bill seeks to up the minimum amount of marijuana needed to be convicted of trafficking from 2.2 pounds to 10 pounds. “Nobody in here wants to hang felonies or drug conviction misdemeanors on a bunch of college kids,” Brewbaker told AL.com. “We’re arresting more people for marijuana than opioids.” Brewbaker’s bill passed on a 6-4 vote, it now moves to the Senate floor, but will also need to be passed by the House to become a law. Although the bill passed through the Senate committee, it already faces some opposition on the Senate floor. Rainbow City-Republican Sen. Phil Williams has gone on record saying he will filibuster the bill if, or when, it comes to the Senate floor.
