Governor Kay Ivey has signed a bill giving lawmakers with appointing authority the ability to hold those appointees accountable.
House Bill 220 (HB220), sponsored by Speaker Pro-Tem Chris Pringle (R-Mobile) and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville), sets the stage for appointees to the state’s many boards and commissions to live up to the expectations set for them. Ledbetter said that the bill is but one example of the fact that no one has been a stronger "watchdog" for the state than Pringle.
“Pro Tem Pringle has been tremendous. From a government efficiency standpoint, I don’t think anyone has fought harder than him," Ledbetter told 1819 News in a written statement.
The bill comes on the heels of multiple arrests related to the Motor Sports Hall of Fame Commission and following a vote by the state Charter School Commission to renew the contract for the controversial Magic City Acceptance Academy.
That vote was widely condemned by lawmakers and state leaders who question how board members could turn a blind eye to images and documents that clearly demonstrate the schools’ continued use of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in their parent/student handbook after state law went into effect, multiple instances over years of drag queens on campus, and other shocking reports which include the former principal offering to pay for a double mastectomy for one of the school’s young female students.
The appointments bill was just one of Pringles' successes of this legislative session.
"The amount of waste he has eliminated from State Agency spending by serving as the watchdog on the Contract Review Committee has saved Alabama taxpayers tens of millions of dollars," Ledbetter expanded.
Pringle is one of 10 on the Contract Review Committee and has consistently targeted boards and commissions to remove inefficiencies or bureaucratic obstacles to small businesses and workers.
"Whenever he identifies an issue in how our government serves its citizens, he brings forward thoughtful, practical solutions. I have relied on him heavily over the past four years and look forward to continuing to serve alongside him,” Ledbetter said.
The appointments bill will go into effect on October 1.
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