January 20, 2015 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House
The 2015 Organizational Session of the Alabama Legislature started last week. Leadership roles were filled and budget discussions began.
- Leadership: The Legislature met on January 13 and 14 to formally elect its leadership for the next four years. There were no surprises as the House predictably re-elected Mike Hubbard of Auburn to another term as the Speaker and Victor Gaston of Mobile as Speaker Pro Tem. The Senate likewise re-elected Del Marsh of Anniston as Pro Tem and Greg Reed as Majority Leader. See below for for a full list of House and Senate committees. The highlight of the session occurred in the Senate where Senator Clay Scofield of Arab proposed to his girlfriend on the Senate floor and she accepted!
- No More “Kicking the Can Down the Road”: House Speaker Mike Hubbard said during a press conference that the Legislature does not need to settle for another short-term solution to recurring budget problems. Hubbard acknowledged legislative leaders have been meeting with the governor about ideas for the legislative session that begins March 3. The General Fund is projected to be about $250 million short next fiscal year. Hubbard said he is hopeful that a solution can be achieved, one that won’t just “kick the can down the road,” which has done for decades. Hubbard said, “That’s just not acceptable anymore.”
