On Tuesday, Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law the hotly debated bill restructuring the State Board of Veterans Affairs (SBVA) and grafting the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) commissioner into the governor's cabinet while naming the next commissioner to take over the department.
Senate Bill 67 (SB67) shifts the ADVA commissioner's hiring and firing responsibility to the governor. The role currently answers to the SBVA. The bill also turns the SBVA into an "oversight" board, bearing no real authority. State Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre) carried the bill in the Senate, and State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) carried it in the House.
The bill was the most controversial thus far in the session after the state’s Veterans Services Organizations (VSOs) came out in force to oppose it. Despite the pushback and occasional political gamesmanship, the bill cleared both houses after heavy emendations.
“Alabama’s veterans deserve our very best, and I am grateful to the Alabama Legislature for its resounding support of this important legislation,” Ivey said. “We will use this new structure to focus on what matters most – serving those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms – our veterans and their families.”
Ivey pushed the bill following a public feud between her office and former ADVA commissioner Kent Davis.
In October last year, Ivey removed Davis from office. After the board voted twice to keep Davis and not accept his forced resignation, Ivey exercised her "supreme executive power" to remove him for allegedly mishandling American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Davis has said the bill is "retaliation" for his ethics complaint against a member of Ivey's cabinet last year.
Under the new law, the governor would still appoint SBVA members based on suggested appointees from the following nine 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 all 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.
“I truly appreciate the collaborative relationship we have forged with VSOs to achieve final passage of this legislation,” Ivey said. “I look forward to working with all of the VSOs in the hopes of assembling a new State Board of Veterans Affairs that can effectively advocate for the wide range of needs of our state’s veterans and their families,”
“I want to thank Governor Ivey for signing SB67 into law,” Oliver said. “I look forward to working collectively with her office, the Legislature, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the State Board of Veterans Affairs and the Veteran Service Organizations on identifying opportunities to improve the quality of life for veterans through providing more efficient and expanded services.”
In addition to signing the bill into law, Ivey announced the appointment of Brigadier General Jeffrey Newton to serve as ADVA commissioner.
Before his appointment, Newton was the director of the Joint Staff of the Alabama National Guard, responsible for joint military operations relating to state and national emergencies. He has a 41-year military career with the United States Air Force and the Alabama Air National Guard, including multiple overseas deployments.
“Brigadier General Newton has earned this important job, and I am more than confident he will work to ensure our state better serves all of our 400,000 veterans,” Ivey said. “He most recently served as interim commissioner of the ADVA and previously worked in the Department to assist veterans and their families receive state and federal benefits. I am grateful Jeff has answered the call to serve yet again, and I look forward to working with him to ensure Alabama is the number one state for veterans to live, work and raise a family.”
Newton, whose appointment takes effect on Wednesday, accepted the appointment and thanked Ivey.
“I am humbled and grateful to be appointed to the Governor’s Cabinet and join her team,” Newton said. “I look forward to working with other departments and cabinet officials as we continue to provide first-class support for Alabama Veterans and their families, as we have done for the past 80 years. Several major projects are already being coordinated with the Governor’s Office, highlighting our commitment to make Alabama the most veteran friendly state in the nation.”
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