Gov. Kay Ivey signs ‘The Game Plan’ legislation
On Thursday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a package of four bills to extend and expand the economic incentive tools available to state financial planners. The Alabama Legislature passed the package of bills on Thursday morning, promising that the four “Game Plan” bills are the “plays” Alabama needed to call to have a bright future. “I am proud the Alabama Legislature has officially passed all four bills in The Game Plan package – my plan for our state’s continued economic success,” Ivey said in a statement. “I commend both the Senate and House for their incredible work on this timely legislation that will, no doubt, be transformative for our state and, more importantly, for our families. We are creating stability for our economy and are going to keep Alabama winning for many years to come.” “The Game Plan will give Alabama’s team the tools it needs to extend our winning record in economic development and help us unleash a new wave of growth and innovation across the state,” said Gov. Ivey. “From our rural areas to our big cities, this is going to benefit every corner of Alabama.” Senate President Pro Temp Greg Reed said that passage of the package was a victory for the state and its future. “The Game Plan is a multi-pronged approach to strengthen Alabama’s economy from all angles,” said Reed. “The four ‘plays’ are effective pieces of legislation that will help Alabama’s local communities thrive by attracting high-quality employers, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth.” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said that the package would benefit Alabamians by better positioning the state to compete for the best jobs in the country. “Industries across the nation and globe are trying to come here because of our great employees, our low taxes, and our unbeatable quality of life,” said Ledbetter. “We want to make sure that, from a competition standpoint, we have the tools needed to bring companies here and keep them here.” Greg Canfield is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The Game Plan will serve as our next-generation strategic economic development framework as we work to build a more dynamic economy for Alabama and its citizens,” said Secretary Canfield. “Neighboring states are aggressively escalating their economic development activities, and this will allow us to keep winning the projects that trigger lasting impacts.” The Alabama Big 10 Mayors praised the passage of the economic development Incentives bills. Passing the economic incentives legislation was item number one on the Alabama Big 10 Mayors’ 2023 legislative agenda. “These incentives programs are critically important to our cities and the entire state of Alabama,” the Alabama Big 10 Mayors said in a joint statement. “For our cities to be successful, we need to have the tools to attract new industry, businesses, and high-quality jobs. These bills give Alabama the ability to not just remain competitive, but also increase our ability to attract the world-class businesses and developments that improve the quality of life across our state.” “We thank Governor Kay Ivey, legislative leadership and their members, the Department of Commerce, and the many stakeholders who worked tirelessly to make this happen. We were proud to support this package of bills, and we look forward to seeing the impact that these incentives programs will have on each of Alabama’s ten largest cities.” The Mayors representing Alabama’s ten biggest cities work together to address the state’s most important issues and make Alabama a safer, better place for all its residents to live. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. The Game Plan includes four bills — or “plays” — focusing on economic development issues such as incentives, site development, small business support, and transparency. Play 1: The Enhancing Alabama’s Economic Progress Act renews the Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama program and extends their sunset dates to 2028 while adding strategic enhancements to increase their effectiveness. The Jobs Act is the state’s primary incentives platform, while Growing Alabama primarily speeds development of shovel-ready sites. Play 2: The Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act (SEEDS) will allow the State Industrial Development Authority to accelerate the development of industry-ready sites at a time when available sites are scarce, and other states are expanding their site programs. Play 3: The Innovation and Small Business Act aims to supercharge growth in Alabama’s innovation economy and support underrepresented businesses and enterprises in rural areas, transforming the state into a hub for technology and innovation. Play 4: The Enhancing Transparency Act will amend the Jobs Act to require the Alabama Department of Commerce to publish certain incentivized project information on its website. Transparency around important information related to companies receiving incentives will serve a valid public service and increase confidence in the process. Critics of the idea of economic incentives to lure industry and projects argue that it is corporate welfare and picking winners and losers, but there were no critics in the Alabama Legislature as the plan sailed through both Houses. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Big Ten mayors host annual breakfast
On Wednesday, the Alabama Big Ten Mayors hosted legislative leaders at a breakfast on the Sixth Floor of RSA Plaza. The mayors thanked the legislators for their service and asked them to support their 2023 legislative agenda. Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said, “There are a lot of great things happening in this city and across Alabama.” “We had a record year in economic development in the city,” Reed said. “It could not have happened without great help from the state of Alabama and our elected representation.” Reed said that the new $90 million waterpark would be an “economic lynchpin” for the city. “Gen Z picks the place and then picks the job,” Reed said. “That is a little bit different from what I was used to. We found the job and then went to the city where it was.” Reed said the water park would feature whitewater rafting next to a walking trail on the Alabama River and Maxwell Air Force Base. “It will definitely be a destination,” Reed stated. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson is the Chairman of the Big Ten Mayors. “This started in 2014 as the big 5,” Stimpson said. “We started meeting on a quarterly basis. We found out that we had the same problems.” “That morphed into the Big 10 Mayors in 2019,” Stimpson. “Rebuild Alabama was our first focus. Rebuild Alabama has been great for the state.” Stimpson said that the mayors next got involved in Anaiah’s Law. “There was a repeat offender who had already shot a couple of people,” Stimpson said. “We asked the judge: Don’t let him out. The judge said: I have to. If you don’t like it, change the constitution.” The Mayors then got behind Anaiah’s law, which was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. That amendment to the Alabama Constitution passed the Legislature and was ratified by the voters in the 2020 election. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said that the Mayors are urging the Legislature to pass the Simplified Sellers Use Tax. “Small business is the heart of our cities,” Maddox said. “We know it is not easy, but these are the people borrowing the money and taking the risk to build our communities, and they are the heart of our downtowns.” Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said, “The big ten mayors play a big role in our state. Thank you for your support of our incentives package.” Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed said, “We will be looking at a four bill incentives package,” “We have had great success in Alabama with incentives,” Reed said. “We have created tens of thousands of jobs.” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said, “Our state is growing at a pace that I have not seen in my lifetime.” Ledbetter credited the incentives package for contributing to this growth. “The incentives have led to $40 billion in investment in the state and created 60,000 jobs,” Ledbetter said. “Rebuild Alabama has changed Alabama’s economy. All over the state, you see (road construction) barrels wherever you go. It used to not be that way.” “Ports are hugely important,” Ledbetter said. “We are expanding our port and building a new one in Montgomery.” Stimpson said, “75% of the people in Alabama live in the state’s metropolitan areas, and most of the economic growth occurs in the metropolitan areas.” The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. Wednesday will be day 8 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. The Alabama Constitution limits the regular session to no more than thirty legislative days during a regular session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Alabama’s big 10 mayors are influential
Students of Alabama political history will rightly remember the 2022 midterm election. This election saw the majority of Alabama voters cast their ballots for Katie Britt, who will be the first woman elected to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate. Governor Kay Ivey easily coasted to victory to gain her second full term in office, continuing her reign as the first Republican woman to serve as Governor. Republicans from the top of the ballot on down cemented their control of the state government by huge margins. On top of all this, I suspect that students of Alabama politics will also note 2022 as the year that a new political force emerged on the scene. For the first time this cycle, the Alabama Big 10 Mayors – as the name suggests, the mayors of the state’s ten biggest cities – flexed their political muscle and put their support behind the Aniah’s Law constitutional amendment, which received a staggering 1,018,004 “yes” votes, more than any other item on the ballot. For those who are not aware of this emerging new group, the mayors of Alabama’s ten biggest cities joined together to use their collective influence to advocate for public policy positions that they believe will make Alabama a safer, more prosperous state. If you happen to live in the metro areas of Birmingham, Huntsville, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Dothan, Hoover, or Decatur – you live in the orbit of this group’s sphere of influence. While these mayors have been meeting regularly for several years to discuss issues like crime, infrastructure, and economic development, this election cycle marks the first time they have weighed in on electoral politics. Through a focus on local media, these mayors were able to ensure that this popular proposal stayed top-of-mind for Alabama voters. In fact, the late push against the referendum from both the far left and far right of the political spectrum was likely a reaction to the media coverage and public support that these mayors generated. Their advantage is not just in the media. They are a bipartisan group with credibility on both the right and left sides of the aisle. They are popular, and many are serving their third or even fourth terms. They are geographically diverse, with representation from Huntsville to Mobile to the Wiregrass. Finally, they represent a whole lot of Alabamians – approximately 75% percent of the state lives in one of their metro areas. As our state works to attract new residents and grapple with brain drain, policymakers would do well to listen to what these mayors have to say. It is clear that the future of Alabama depends on successful cities that can attract and retain the types of people who work in our booming space, medical research, and advanced manufacturing industries. Ignoring our cities is a recipe for decreasing competitiveness across the state. If you think we are a rural, small-town state, you are mistaken. In case you missed my earlier statement, a clear three-fourths of all Alabamians now live in one of our ten major cities in the state. Most of the real governing in the state is done by mayors. Being mayor of a city is where the rubber meets the road. It is the governmental constant where everyday problems are resolved. The gentlemen who comprise the group of the Big 10 mayors are hardworking, true public servants. They are doing their job day-in-and-day-out without fanfare and without an eye toward moving up statewide or to Washington. They love their cities and are governing them well. Representing the largest cities in Alabama, the Big 10 mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. It is interesting and noteworthy that two of the Big 10 cities are suburban enclaves of two of our large metropolitan areas. Hoover is one of the largest cities in the state and is an outgrowth of Birmingham. If census trends continue the next ten years the same as the last, Hoover may be a larger city than Birmingham. It more than likely will be in 20 years. However, if those same trends stay in place, Huntsville will continue to be Alabama’s largest city. One of the most revealing things to note is that Madison, a suburb of Huntsville, is one of the ten largest cities in Alabama. The Big 10 Mayors should have a big story for a long time to come. See you next week. 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.
Alabama Big 10 Mayors say state will be safer thanks to Aniah’s Law
On Tuesday, Alabama voters went to the polls and overwhelmingly voted to ratify Amendment One -Aniah’s Law. The Big 10 Mayors had endorsed ratification of the bill to allow judges to deny mail to dangerous felons. After Tuesday’s victory, the Mayors said they will continue to collectively advocate for policy goals that make the state a better place for all Alabamians “We were proud to support this constitutional amendment and to have fought for its approval by Alabama voters,” the Mayors said. “This is a big win for public safety in Alabama and will honor Aniah’s memory for generations to come.” They thanked voters for making Alabama safer by showing up at the polls and voting for Aniah’s Law. “As mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities, we understand the great responsibility we have to promote public safety in our communities,” the Mayors said. Early on, we identified Aniah’s Law as an issue in which we could use our collective influence to advocate for and make Alabamians safer. This amendment will give Alabama judges and District Attorneys the tools they need to keep violent criminals off the streets.” Under current Alabama law, judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense or poses a flight risk. Proponents say that means that dangerous criminals are often released back onto the streets, even when it is likely they will commit more violent crimes as soon as they make bail. Aniah Blanchard was a Southern Union student who was kidnapped off of the streets of Auburn at a gas station by a known violent kidnapper who was out on bond. She was brutalized, raped, and murdered by her attacker. Her parents were instrumental in Aniah’s law being passed by the Alabama Legislature. Now, after a majority of Alabama voters voted to pass Aniah’s Law, judges will be able to deny bail to dangerous offenders who are likely to re-offend when charged with serious felonies like murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, terrorism, or aggravated child abuse. “Far too often, these offenders – who are often charged with crimes such as murder, rape, and kidnapping – are released to re-commit more heinous crimes while they await trial. That flawed system led to the kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard in October of 2019. Simply put, Aniah’s accused killer should have been in jail, and Aniah should still be alive. We were honored to help get this constitutional amendment across the finish line to protect Alabamians from suffering the same tragedy that befell Aniah and her family. We were proud to support this constitutional amendment and to have fought for its approval by Alabama voters. This is a big win for public safety in Alabama and will honor Aniah’s memory for generations to come.” Amendment one was also endorsed by Gov. Kay Ivey, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Secretary of State John Merrill, and unanimous votes by both Houses of the Alabama Legislature, where it was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. “We will continue to collectively advocate for policy goals that make our state a better place for all Alabamians,” said the Mayors. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. All ten statewide constitutional amendments and the 2022 recompiled state constitution were ratified by voters on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Marshall urges voters to vote Yes for Aniah’s Law
Attorney General Steve Marshall released a video statement on Monday expressing his strong support for Statewide Amendment 1, Aniah’s Law. Marshall asked the people of Alabama to vote to adopt the amendment when they vote on Tuesday. “On Election Day, several proposed amendments to the state constitution will be on the ballot,” Marshall said. “One is vital for public safety. That would be Amendment 1, which creates what is known as Aniah’s Law.” “As you will recall, Aniah Blanchard was the young woman who, in 2019, went missing and was later found murdered,” Marshall said. “The man charged with Aniah’s abduction and murder was out on bond at the time he committed his heinous acts, despite already being charged with multiple violent crimes, including kidnapping.” “Aniah’s case was a terrible tragedy that drew national attention, but I am here to tell you that hers is not the only case of this kind—and it won’t be the last,” said Marshall. “That’s why we need Aniah’s Law. Aniah’s Law—which you will find on your ballot as Amendment 1—amends the state constitution to allow judges the discretion to deny bond to violent criminals like Aniah’s murderer. So, on Tuesday, be sure to vote “yes” on Amendment 1, which will keep dangerous criminals off the street and the public out of harm’s way. And thank you to Aniah’s family for leading the charge to make Alabama a safer place.” Aniah’s Law has also been endorsed by Governor Kay Ivey. “It is past time we fix those issues, but because of the unwavering dedication of Aniah’s family and the unanimous support by the Alabama Legislature, Amendment One, also known as Aniah’s Law, will be on the ballot this November,” Ivey said. “I encourage every Alabamian to join me in voting yes on Aniah’s Law to ensure no family would have to go through the pain of preventable tragedy.” Under current Alabama law, judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense or poses a flight risk. That means that dangerous criminals are often released back onto the streets, even when it is likely they will commit more violent crimes as soon as they make bail. Proponents argue that if the majority of Alabamians vote for Aniah’s Law, then judges will be able to deny bail to dangerous offenders who are likely to re-offend when they are charged with serious felonies like murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, terrorism, or aggravated child abuse. This legislation was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. It passed unanimously by the state legislature in April 2021 and was named in memory of murdered 19-year-old Southern Union Community College student Aniah Blanchard. Her accused murderer was out on bail awaiting trial for charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, and robbery. Amendment One has also been endorsed by the Mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities. “As members of the Alabama Big 10 Mayors, public safety is one of our top priorities,” the Mayors wrote in a statement. “And on the November 8 ballot, there will be a constitutional amendment that, if voted for by a majority of Alabamians, would give our state’s judges the tools they need to keep violent, repeat offenders off our streets and out of our communities, and in jail where they belong. In October 2019, 19-year-old college student Aniah Blanchard was tragically kidnapped. The suspect in her case was out free on bond, awaiting trial for charges of attempted murder and armed robbery. He should have been incarcerated, and Aniah Blanchard should still be alive.” “We urge all Alabama voters to vote for Amendment One on election day so what happened to Aniah and her loved ones will not happen again,” the Big 10 Mayors concluded. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. Polls will open Tuesday at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Voters need to bring a valid photo ID to the polls with them in order to vote. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Big 10 Mayors urge Alabama voters to vote Yes for Aniah’s Law – Amendment One
Aniah’s Law – Amendment One – will be on the November 8 general election ballot. If ratified by Alabama voters, it would allow judges to deny bail to dangerous criminals likely to re-offend. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors held a press conference in Auburn on Monday to express their support for the Aniah’s Law constitutional amendment. The mayors urged Alabama voters to support it on Election Day. “As governments, public safety is our number one responsibility,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “Collectively, we have been working since 2019 on legislation to change our state constitution and give judges the option of denying pre-trial bail to the most violent offenders who are likely to re-offend. We know this will save lives in every community across the state.” Aniah Blanchard was a Southern Union student who was kidnapped off of the streets of Auburn at a gas station by a known violent kidnapper who was out on bond. She was brutalized, raped, and murdered by her attacker. Her parents were instrumental in Aniah’s law being passed by the Alabama Legislature. “Fall is an exciting time in Auburn, with new students, football, relationships, and classes,” said Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. “It has been a great fall here in Auburn, but it should have included Aniah Blanchard. On November 8, the citizens of Alabama have something they can do about this. By voting for amendment one, you will allow judges to keep violent offenders in jail, so in the future, we will not have other stories like Aniah Blanchard’s to remember.” “When Aniah was taken from us, it was extremely unsettling,” said Anders. “It was unnerving. It rocked our world.” “The thing is, when you talk to our men and women in the police department, they do great work – they do a lot of hard work. One of the most dispiriting things that happen is that when they arrest someone, especially for a violent offense is when that person is back out before the community even settles down,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed. “We want to make sure that when people do wrong, when they commit a violent offense, that they have to pay for it.” Angela Harris – the mother of Aniah Blanchard – said, “Aniah’s Law will be on the ballot on November 8, and I encourage everyone to get out to vote for Amendment One. No family should have to go through such a tragedy. If this could happen to Aniah, it could happen to anyone. Please keep your family, your friends, and your community safe, and honor Aniah’s memory on November 8.” “This bill would change so that other parents would not have to go through the same tragedy that we have had to go through,” said Elijah Blanchard – Aniah’s father. “On November 8, vote yes for Amendment One because we are going to make a change.” Alabama judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense or poses a flight risk. This allows known dangerous criminals to be released back onto the streets, even when it’s likely they will commit more violent crimes as soon as they make bail. At one point, there were 300 accused murderers out on the streets of Mobile alone awaiting trial. If the voters ratify Aniah’s Law, judges will be able to deny bail to dangerous offenders who are likely to re-offend when they are charged with serious felonies like attempted murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, terrorism, or aggravated child abuse. This law passed both Houses of the Alabama Legislature unanimously in April 2021. Representing the largest cities in Alabama, the Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. These mayors meet quarterly to address the state’s most critical issues and to make Alabama a safer, better place for all of its residents. Voters will get to vote on Amendment one in the general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama’s only seat on TVA board in jeopardy by Jeff Sessions’ changing fortunes
Alabama is represented by only a single seat on the Tennessee Valley Authority board — Joe Ritch, a Huntsville attorney. But Ritch’s TVA board seat could be under fire by the election of Donald Trump and his pick for Attorney General, Sen. Jeff Sessions. Ritch, a Democrat nominated in 2013 by President Obama for a three-year term, is up for another term. Board members elected him chair, a position he currently holds. Lee Roop of Al.com notes that Ritch’s knowledge of North Alabama and strong leadership has earned him several local supporters, such as Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Jackson County Commission Chair Matthew Hodges and Madison Mayor Paul Finley. “They cite thousands of new jobs brought to the region and nearly $1 billion in new business investment during his tenure,” Roop writes. Ritch was instrumental in helping Jackson County rebound from economic damage due to federal policies and court rulings, Hodges said. Hodges also cited Ritch’s help after federal policies reduced reliance on coal to power TVA plants, which led to the shuttering of Widow’s Creek coal-based power plant and subsequent loss of jobs; Ritch worked to lure a Google data center now operating in the same location. “They came and I feel like have made an incredible effort to turn things around, to work with us and help us to help ourselves,” Hodges told Al.com. “(Ritch) was chairman of the board at that time. It took an effort from a lot of folks at TVA to make that happen, but you had his leadership.” “He’s been a very valuable member of the (local economic) team,” Battle added. “He’s the only chair Alabama’s ever had, he’s kept power rates low, and it would be a win-win for the community to keep him there.” Both Finley and Battle, whose positions are non-partisan, agree that Ritch doesn’t favor a specific Alabama city or the state in general. But someone like him on the board helps keep industry leaders aware that commitments will be kept. As of now, the Senate is left with only a few weeks to decide if Ritch stays with the TVA. If he is not approved before Congress’ Christmas break, President-elect Trump will name a successor. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe ,determines TVA board members; a committee which Sessions is a member. Senate rules allow senators to either approve – or block — presidential nominations from their respective states. The first time around, Sessions gave Ritch the thumbs-up. This time, he has not yet said he would. “We’ve been in a continual conversation with the (entire) Alabama delegation,” Battle told reporters. If Sessions becomes President Trump’s attorney general and a replacement for Ritch is chosen, Alabama’s new Republican Senator could have veto power. That is if Trump nominates another Alabamian, and Sessions’ replacement is named to the public works committee. Alabama is represented on the TVA by someone already approved by Sessions, Roop says local leaders hope it stays that way.
