MONTGOMERY — House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) expressed surprise after one of the most controversial bills of the session thus far sailed through the House of Representatives Thursday just over 10 minutes.
Senate Bill 67 (SB67), the Gov. Kay Ivey-pushed restructuring of the state's veterans board, is now headed to her desk for a signature.
The bill shifts the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) commissioner's hiring and firing responsibility to the governor. The role currently answers to the State Board of Veterans Affairs (SBVA). The bill also turns the SBVA into an "oversight" board, bearing no real authority.
Thursday's legislative day was filled with hours of Democratic protest for several public safety bills, specifically on the so-called "Back the Blue Protection Act," which comprised three hours of debate time. Ledbetter said he was surprised at the speed with which SB67 advanced, anticipating similarly robust debate as the others.
"I really thought we'd have a longer debate more closely to what went with Back the Blue," Ledbetter said. "That's what I expected. But I think the thing with that, there's probably had been a lot of conversation, and I think between both chambers and members talking and having all those conversations probably had something to do with that. Everybody kind of knew where they were at this point, so I guess that's why it went as easy."
Under the new law, the governor would still appoint SBVA members based on suggested appointees from the following nine Veterans Services Organizations (VSOs): The Alabama Department of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American Ex-Prisoners of War, the Alabama Alliance of the MOAA and the Marine Corps League.
The state's VSOs initially opposed the bill, claiming it stripped their voice from state veterans issues. However, after the Senate heavily amended the bill, three of the nine eventually supported it, while the remaining did not.
In response to the concerns of the majority of the state's VSOs, Ledbetter highlighted the positive work the state has done for veterans, including a recently passed public/private partnership to create a state Veterans Resource Center.
"I think if you look at what we've done as a lead this legislative body, we have done more for veterans in this state and any other state," Ledbetter stated. "You know, we rank number two right now as far as supporting veterans; certainly, we've done a lot with that. Ours is one of only six states that didn't have a cabinet position for veterans. So, I think it puts somebody at the table."
He continued, "You know, we put a lot of money in the veterans, and we're going to continue to do so, certainly with the veterans' resource center that we just did the week before last was a huge deal for veterans, and we'll continue to support them."
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