State Sen. Pro-Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) announced on Thursday that State Sen. Jay Hovey (R-Auburn) is being appointed to serve as vice chair of the Senate's County and Municipal Government Committee.
First elected to the Alabama Senate in 2022, Hovey previously served on the Auburn City Council, where he represented Ward 7.
"As a former city council member, Sen. Hovey has the perfect skill set and experience necessary to step up and help lead the County and Municipal Government Committee," Gudger said. "I am confident that Sen. Hovey's new leadership role and firsthand knowledge will help the Legislature better serve the needs of cities, towns, counties, and communities across Alabama."
Since joining the Senate, Hovey has held a seat on the Finance and Taxation Education Committee, which annually allocates almost $10 billion to Alabama's K-12 public schools, community colleges and public universities, including Auburn University. He also sits on the Senate's Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Education Policy, Banking and Insurance, Tourism, and Transportation and Energy committees.
He is employed as a commercial lending officer with ServisFirst Bank in Auburn and has served his community in several roles with groups that include the Alabama Small Business Advisory Commission, United Way of Lee County, Kiwanis Club of Auburn, the Auburn Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the city of Auburn Greenspace Advisory Board.
In addition, Hovey's wife, Anna, is a community leader, serving as the president and chief executive officer of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce as well as participating on numerous boards and commissions in the area.
He is a native of South Lee County and was raised on his family's farm in the Marvyn community.
Gudger also announced on Thursday that State Sen. Josh Carnley (R-Ino) is being appointed to the Senate's State Government Affairs Committee and will serve as its vice chair.
"Though Sen. Carnley is a freshman legislator, he has already proven that he has the skills, talents, and abilities necessary to help lead such an important and influential committee," Gudger said. "He has my full faith and confidence, and I know Sen. Carnley will use his new role as vice chair to make our state government operate more efficiently while providing more accountability to the taxpayers it seeks to serve."
Carnley was elected to the Alabama Senate in 2022 following the retirement of his predecessor, Jimmy Holley, who served in the legislature for more than 40 years. A lifelong resident of Ino, his Senate District 31 encompasses Coffee, Covington and Pike Counties and a portion of Dale County.
In addition to his new posting on the State Government Affairs committee, Carnley also holds seats on the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry; Banking and Insurance; Confirmations; County and Municipal Government; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development; Judiciary; and Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Safety committees.
Before his election to the State Senate, Carnley previously served two-and-a-half terms on the Coffee County Commission. He operates a family farm that produces cotton, peanuts, corn, and beef cattle, and he is the owner and president of SanBuck Insurance, which has offices located in Andalusia, Enterprise, and Troy. Carnley and his wife, Valerie, have three children.
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