2021_Alabama_Grocer_Issue_3

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

S p e c i a l L e g i s l at i v e R e p o r t

PATRICK MCWHORTER LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE THE MCWHORTER GROUP

Governor Kay Ivey released her proclamation officially calling the Alabama Legislature into Extraordinary Session beginning October 28.

Counties) and in Baldwin County to the south. The preliminary data showed the largest population losses in the Senate and House districts were in the Black Belt, Jefferson, Montgomery, and Mobile counties. All of those legislative districts are currently held by Democrats. Two lawsuits have already been filed to force the legislature to create a second majority-minority congressional district. More lawsuits over the other maps are expected. Several announced candidates were drawn out of the districts they declared to run for, and at least one Republican’s district in Montgomery was flipped from R to D. Candidates planning to run for office in the 2022 elections must qualify with their party by Friday, January 28, 2022. The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, the Primary Run-Off Election will be held on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, and the General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Hospital Funding: The second issue included in the Governor’s call. Legislators considered and approved legislation to appropriate money from the state’s share of coronavirus relief funds, authorized by Congress in the American Relief Plan Act earlier this year. These funds will go to “support the delivery of healthcare and related services to the citizens

Governor Kay Ivey released her proclamation officially calling the Alabama Legislature into Extraordinary Session beginning Thursday, October 28. Both Houses met six legislative days out of the 12 allowed, passing seven major pieces of legislation. The Governor’s Call specifically stated the issues allowed to be introduced: redrawing districts for all state legislative districts (House and Senate), all Congressional districts, and all state School Board Districts. She also specified legislation to allot funds from the American Rescue Plan (COVID Relief) to state hospitals. However, with two-thirds of the members of each house voting to agree, members can add issues to their agenda. And they did, choosing to address and pass two vaccine-related bills and sending them to the Governor. Here’s the breakdown: Redistricting: The primary issue in the call is to draw new districts for all legislative (House and Senate), congressional, and state school board members. This process is mandated

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every 10 years by both the US and Alabama Constitution, but was held up due to delays in the US Census, with the necessary numbers only being received by the legislative committee in late August. Public hearings were conducted around the state to gather input, and a special committee developed and proposed maps that were passed with some changes by both Senate and House. Governor Ivey has signed the four bills into law. The state saw positive growth over the past 10 years, but the population has shifted within the state. That created some opposition, since the population has increased in cities and reduced in rural areas. The largest population growth is seen in North Alabama (Madison and Limestone

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