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November 9, 2022, marked the beginning of a new quadrennium for the Alabama Legislature. Constitutional officers take office in January while Legislators’ terms begin immediately the day after the election. All of these are 4 year terms and will be up for re-election in 2026.
The Legislature will meet in its Organizational Session on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. This Session, limited to 10 consecutive calendar days, allows the Legislature to adopt the procedural rules for the quadrennium and elect the leadership of both Houses. There are 31 (30 percent) new members in the House out of 105. There are 6 (17 percent) new members in the Senate out of 35. Republican members remain a supermajority in both Houses.
For our coastal counties, Mobile has one new House member, that being Representative Mark Shirey who replaced Representative Victor Gaston who did not run for re-election. A portion of Mobile County is now in Senator Greg Albritton’s district so he joins Mobile’s Senate Delegation. Mobile County now has 4 Senators and 9 House members.
Baldwin County has 3 new House members out of the 7; those being Representative Francis Holk- Jones who succeeded Representative Steve McMillan who was not seeking re-election but died earlier this year, Representative Donna Givens who replaces Representative Harry Shiver who chose not to run for re- election, and Representative Jennifer Fidler who defeated incumbent Representative Joe Faust in the Primary Election. Senator Vivian Figures now represents a portion of Baldwin County so the county now has 3 Senators.
In the Senate, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth will continue to preside, Senator Greg Reed will remain Senate Pro Tempore, and Senator Clay Scofield will remain as Majority Leader. The Minority Caucus Chair will be Senator Linda Coleman-Madison.
In the House, the Republican Caucus has nominated Representative Nathaniel Ledbetter as Speaker, Representative Chris Pringle as Speaker Pro Tempore, and Representative Scott Stadthagen as Majority Leader. These nominations will receive a formal vote in the Organizational Session. Representative Anthony Daniels will remain Minority Leader and the House Democratic Caucus Chair will be Representative Barbara Drummond.
Committee assignments in both Houses are being discussed at present and will be formally announced in the Organizational Session. The Speaker has announced several of the key committee Chairs, those being Representative Joe Lovvorn of Auburn who will Chair the House Rules Committee, Representative Danny Garrett of Trussville remains as Chair of the House Ways and Means Education Committee, Representative Rex Reynolds of Huntsville will serve as the new Chair of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee, and Representative Jim Hill of Moody remains Chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
A new Clerk of the House will be formally named in the Organizational Session with John Treadwell, formerly of Legislative Services Agency, to serve in that position replacing Jeff Woodard. Pat Harris will remain as Secretary of the Senate.
Absent a Special Session called by the Governor, the Legislature will go into its 2023 Regular Session on Tuesday, March 7. The Regular Session is limited to 30 meeting days within 105 calendar days so it must end by midnight on Monday, June 19, 2023.
The Legislative Services Agency has initiated an updated bill drafting program and any bills drafted over this past summer or fall will need to be re-entered into the new system prior to introduction. No bills can be pre-filed until the Organizational Session and adoption of rules to allow pre-filing of bills.
