MONTGOMERY — A vote on legislation that would change the makeup of the State Board of Veterans Affairs and how the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) commissioner is appointed was carried over in the Senate on Tuesday after multiple amendments were added to the bill.
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. The amended version of the bill gives appointing authority to the governor, lieutenant governor, House speaker, and Senate pro-tem. Governor Kay Ivey endorsed the legislation in her State of the State address last week.
The bill passed out of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Wednesday by a 5-2 margin with one abstention.
A few of the amendments added back some input from veteran service organizations to appointments made by the House speaker, Senate pro-tem and lieutenant governor. Requirements that some of the board members have active duty military service and Alabama National Guard experience were also added to the bill. The bill would still make the commissioner appointed by the governor and change the purpose of the veterans board to an “advisory role.”
A procedural vote, known as the budget isolation resolution, on the bill passed by a 21-6 margin before the amendments were offered. The bill was carried over after the amendments were added.
State Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre) said he was carrying over the bill since there were so many amendments to the bill on Tuesday.
Jones told reporters on Tuesday he expected the amended bill to come back up in the Senate for a final vote next week.
Former ADVA commissioner Kent Davis has said the bill is "retaliation" for his ethics complaint against a member of Ivey's cabinet last year.
A full list of the amendments that passed on Tuesday in the Senate are:
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