It is hard to believe that they are in the third
year of their quadrennium. The first two years have resulted in a plethora of
conservative legislation. This GOP legislative body cannot be labeled as
RINO’s. They are real Republicans. They have been determined to put their
conservative stamp on the state. They have indeed left an indelible mark on the
Alabama political structure. Lying in the carnage of their march is the once
vaunted Alabama Education Association. They have been stampeded and stomped on
by this herd of elephants.
In their first two years this GOP army has marched
in unison lockstep with their leadership. They have accomplished ethics reform,
tort reform and tenure reform all with a right wing, pro-business tint.
They have also cut the state budgets by $750 million
over the past two years, mostly on the backs of teachers and state employees.
They also enacted one of the most stringent anti-immigration bills in the
nation, which has been the center of controversy and litigation.
You would think that they might rest on their
laurels and run for reelection next year trumpeting the fact that they have
been the most conservative legislature in history. However, that will not be
the case. They are bringing forth another chapter in conservatism with a new
reactionary agenda entitled, “We Dare Defend Our Rights.”
Just prior to the session, Speaker Mike Hubbard, the
king of the House, launched yet another political action committee that he can
use as a vehicle to keep his troops in line and also keep them in office. The
new PAC is called Storm PAC. A high profile fundraiser for the new PAC was held
a week ago in the Auburn home of Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson.
Some of the bills that will be on the 2013 GOP
agenda will include an anti-abortion bill entitled the Women’s Health and
Safety Act. This legislation would require direct physician involvement and set
mandatory standards for nursing care and post-operative follow up visits at
abortion clinics as well as establishing penalties for health care
professionals who would dare to perform an abortion in Alabama.
In order to make clear that Alabama and this
legislature are pro-gun and pro 2nd Amendment, they are proposing a
constitutional amendment that declares that Alabamians have the right to keep
and bear arms.
The House agenda will call for a plan to enhance
free enterprise in Alabama. Republicans want to strengthen the state’s career
technical education program by making sure that high school students have
access to updated technology and equipment.
They are also offering a Red Tape Reduction Act that
would require each state agency to prepare an economic impact analysis prior to
the adoption of any proposed regulation that could have an adverse impact on
small business.
Even though ObamaCare is now the law of the land,
the legislature is proposing a futile constitutional amendment that declares Alabama
is not part of the Union and we will not adopt ObamaCare.
Gov. Bentley backed off of a proposal to reduce the
state’s workforce by offering an early retirement incentive package to certain
state employees. Bentley rolled out the idea in September and said that 1,500
state employees would take advantage of the plan and save the state an
estimated $82 million. It later became apparent that not many state workers
would utilize Bentley’s plan. Therefore, the governor will not introduce this
legislation in the session.
It should be an interesting yet predictable
legislative session.
See you next week.
About the author: Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading
political columnist. His column appears weekly in more than 70 Alabama
newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. He may be reached
at http://www.steveflowers.us.
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