Legislation filed to "restructure" the State Board of Veterans Affairs is retaliation for an ethics complaint filed against a member of Gov. Kay Ivey's cabinet last year, according to former Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) commissioner Kent Davis.
Ivey recently fired Davis from his position with the ADVA. The State Board of Veterans Affairs rejected Ivey's request to terminate Davis in October. Ivey then unilaterally fired him after a one-and-a-half-hour SBVA meeting. Davis and his attorney have said he plans to file a lawsuit based on anti-retaliation provisions of the Alabama Ethics Act and contesting Ivey's alleged "supreme executive power" to fire him.
The legislation would change the ADVA commissioner's role to being appointed by the governor. Currently, the position is hired and fired by the State Board of Veterans Affairs. The State Board of Veterans Affairs would also be changed to an "advisory" role. Seven of the nine board members would be appointed by the governor. The House Speaker and Senate Pro-Tem would also each get one board appointment.
Ivey endorsed the legislation in her State of the State address.
"We must ensure a path for everyone who wants a job to get one, especially our veterans. To our Alabama veterans: You have our utmost respect and admiration. You have taken care of us, and so now, we must take care of you. We will work to make sure you have all the resources readily available. I am proud to support legislation from Senator Andrew Jones and Representative Ed Oliver to make the Department of Veterans Affairs part of the Governor's Cabinet," Ivey said. We will also restructure our Board so that our veterans – of all eras across every military branch – are best represented. The goal is to have a Board that is a team player within the executive branch and can fiercely and effectively advocate for the unique needs of veterans of every generation – and their families."
The bill is on the agenda for the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Room 807 at the State House.
Davis said the bill politicizes ADVA.
"This politicizes the entire organization. It makes the commissioner a political appointee at the whim of the governor. I've seen this in other states. When it's done, it does not work well, veterans are not represented well. This is clearly retaliation for what happened a few months ago. It's just further retaliation. Everybody knows that," Davis told 1819 News on Tuesday.
Davis continued, "Governor Ivey has never even visited one of the single veterans facilities in Alabama. Not any one of the 70 facilities run by the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, not one of the state veterans homes, not a veterans cemetery in the state so you know to suddenly claim that this is all about support for veterans, I'm sorry, no, it's about retaliation."
"There was no interest out of the Governor's Office in veterans affairs until a few months ago when that ethics complaint was filed. It's pretty clear to everybody in the veterans community what's going on here," Davis said.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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