Calhoun County, AL – The Alabama Legislature had a five-day special session starting on July 17th. The purpose of the special session was to redraw Alabama’s congressional district map. In June the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Alabama’s current map violated the Voting Rights Act. On July 21st the legislature passed the new Alabama congressional district map (pictured above). After speaking and hearing from many community leaders and the public throughout this process and reviewing over 100 purposed maps, this was the map that was approved by both the House and the Senate. This map would be effective January 2025. I look forward to continuing to work with Congressman Mike Rogers in Congressional District 3 which contains Senate District 12th. There could be lawsuits filed over the approved map. The map must now be approved by the court who could potentially reject it and draw their own. There has been and will continue to be much political spin and accusations by some media sources and others. The process was followed and this was the result. No one got exactly what they wanted. Every member of the legislature had the opportunity to speak to and share what they wanted. The process has involved many hours by many people. I would like to thank everyone involved that took the time to share their thoughts and suggestions.
In The District …
In between legislative responsibilities in Montgomery I have attended some conferences and community activities. A few highlights include:
The 77th Legislative Conference: Here I was able to learn from and contribute to sessions with senators, representatives, and staff from across the south. I will bring some of what learned back to Montgomery.
Camp Mac: I enjoyed being a counselor for a day. It was a tremendous experience with over 250 kids from many different states. Camp Mac has been in the same family for generations helping young people grow and learn about nature and life in northern Talladega County.
Habitat for Humanity: It was an honor to participate in a home dedication in Jacksonville through this wonderful organization. As a Senator and a realtor I am a big supporter of Habitat for Humanity and the work they do to help people achieve home ownership. It was special to be a part of this.
