State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) pre-filed legislation last week changing how board members for local libraries and the Alabama Department of Archives and History are appointed.
Senate Bill 6 establishes that local library board members serve at the pleasure of their appointing authorities, like city councils or county commissions, and can be removed by a two-thirds vote.
Senate Bill 5 changes how board vacancies are handled on the Alabama Department of Archives and History's Board of Trustees. Instead of being filled by the board, as is the current practice, board vacancies would be filled on a rotating basis by House and Senate legislative leadership, the lieutenant governor, and the governor.
"The archives one and the library bill are so similar. It just says, 'You have an appointing authority. It's not yourself, and you're not appointed for life, and you don't get to reappoint yourself.' It's the same thing for the library board (bill). If you're appointed by the commission, the commission can remove you. If you're appointed by the city council, the city council can remove you. To me, that sounds like such a good solution to so many of these conversations we're having," Elliott told 1819 News on Monday. "At the end of the day, I want Orange Beach deciding what's good for Orange Beach, and I want Bessemer deciding what's good for Bessemer. Let them figure it out. When you see a city council person in the Piggly Wiggly they're going to be a whole lot more accountable to you than some legislator in Montgomery who is telling you, 'No, that's not obscene.'"
Both bills passed the Senate in February during the previous legislative session but died in the House without a vote.
"It clearly got clogged up in the gambling debate, and maybe we won't have to deal with gambling this year, and we can actually get some stuff passed," Elliott said.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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