| Alabama lawmakers elected leaders for the new four-year term during a recent organizational session. There were no surprises as the House of Representatives picked Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, a Republican from Rainsville, as the new speaker.The Senate re-elected Sen. Greg Reed, Republican from Jasper, as president pro tem, the top position in the chamber. Ledbetter was first elected to the Legislature in 2014 and had been majority leader since 2017. Ledbetter worked for more than 30 years for Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative. He and his wife are the former owners of the Mountain Valley News in Rainsville. He is also a former mayor and city council member in Rainsville. The new speaker is committed to education, jobs and economic development, mental health and access to high-speed internet in rural areas. He also wants to improve the adoption process. Sen. Reed was re-elected pro tem on a unanimous 35-0 vote. He has been pro tem since 2021 when former Sen. Del Marsh stepped aside from the post. |
