LEAGUE NEWS
LWVAL TAKE ACTION TUESDAY
Tuesday January 20, 2026
TWO VOTING BILLS IN CC&E COMMITTEE
HB270 and HB45
Same Action Needed For Both
1. SUPPORT HB270 Allow Early In-Person Voting
(Rep Adline Clarke + the whole Democratic Caucus)
Alabama is only one of THREE states that does not allow some form of early voting. Unless voters have a qualifying excuse to vote absentee, Alabama's 3.5+ million registered voters have to vote in a 12-hour window on a Tuesday. Alabama voters deserve better and HB270 will give it to them.
2. SUPPORT HB45 Allow disabled person to have a designee to deliver absentee ballot application and ballot
(Rep Adline Clark)
HB45 would allow registered voters who are disabled; blind; or unable to read or write to designate an individual to deliver the voter’s application for them to the absentee election manager. It would also allow disabled absentee voters to designate an individual to deliver the voter’s completed, absentee ballot packet to the absentee election manager.
ACTION REQUESTED for BOTH HB45 & HB270:
Call CC& E Chair Bob Fincher and tell him that Alabama needs early voting and Alabama's disabled community needs HB45. Ask him to get these bills on the committee's agenda. (334-261-0424)
Note to Shelby County Residents: Rep Arnold Mooney is the Vice Chair of CC&E. If he is your representative, please call him as one of his constituents and ask for his support in getting these bills on the committee's agenda (334-261-9512).
The LWVAL and Read Freely
Oppose SB26 - Library Boards Serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority
SB26 (Sen Chris Elliot)
Stop SB26: Protect Independent Library Boards in Alabama
Alabama’s libraries belong to their communities, not to political actors in Montgomery.
This bill:
Weakens the independence of Alabama’s public library boards,
Strips local boards of stability by making every member “serve at the pleasure” of their appointing authority, and
Requires every library board in the state to file annual book removal reports directly to the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate Pro Tem detailing every action related to reviewing or removing materials.
It will create a coercive reporting system that invites political interference in local collection decisions. These changes undermine good governance, erode local control, and make libraries more vulnerable to state-driven censorship efforts.
ACTION REQUESTED: If you did not complete Read Freely's form last week to ask your representatives to oppose SB26, click here to do so.
The LWVAL and the Friends of the Alabama Archives
OPPOSE SB27 - Legislation to Change the Composition of Board and Method of Filling Board Vacancies
(Sen Chris Elliott)
Keep Alabama's Historical Agency and State Museum From Being Turned Into a Political FootballIf enacted, SB27 would politicize the Board of Trustees that provides oversight of the State Archives, granting board appointments to legislative leadership, and specifically removing two existing board members from their seats, both of whom are African American women.
Consider completing this brief google form to tell the Friends of the Alabama Archives who your representatives are. The information will only be used to contact you when targeted messages to your legislators can help advocate for the Archives.
Alabama Rivers Alliance
OPPOSE SB71 & HB162 - This prohibits adopting environmental protection criteria stricter than federal requirements.
SB71 (Sen Donny Chesteen)
HB162 (Rep Troy Stubbs)
On January 20 and 21, two committees in the Alabama Legislature will review bills that would strip the state of its ability to set its own rules for water quality.
The Clean Water Act gave states the authority to enact laws that are more protective of water quality than federal minimums because Congress recognized that each state has its own unique challenges and assets. Nowhere is this truer than in Alabama, the most aquatically biodiverse state in the nation.
HB162 and SB71 are misguided attempts to roll back the clock and blatantly ignore the intent of the Clean Water Act. These bills essentially say that the federal government’s one-size fits all approach to protecting water, air and land is preferable to decisions made by our own Alabamians about what is best for our state.
Click HERE to use the Alabama Rivers Alliance form to communicate your opposition to HB162 and SB71.
Sponsors: Yarbrough, Mooney, Butler, Whorton, Pettus, Underwood, Colvin, Carns, Treadaway, Kiel, Stringer, Gidley, Fidler, DuBose, Bolton
Title/Description: Illegal immigration, procedures for arrest, detention, transportation of illegal immigrants provided for; reporting requirements established
Committee: Judiciary
Chair: Jim Hill (St. Clair) 334-261-0494
Vice Chair: Tim Wadsworth (Winston, Walker, Cullman, Jefferson)
205-300-4008
League Position: OPPOSE
Sponsor: Marilyn Lands
Title/Description: Referendum measures; authorizes general laws and constitutional amendments to be initiated through public petition process
Committee: Constitution, Campaigns & Elections
Chair: Bob Fincher (Chambers, Lee, Randolph) 334-261-0538
Vice Chair: Arnold Mooney (Shelby) 334-261-9512
League Position: SUPPORT
Sponsor: Bill Lamb
Title/Description: Fair Campaign Practices Act: Authorize notifications of civil penalties by electronic mail in lieu of certified mail in certain circumstances
Committee: Ethics and Campaign Finance
Chair: Matt Simpson (Baldwin) 334-261-0424
League Position: SUPPORT
Sponsor: Adline Clarke
Title/Description: Absentee voting: designee to deliver voter's absentee ballot application and absentee ballot to election manager for disabled voter, authorized
Committee: Constitution Campaign & Elections
Chair: Bob Fincher (Chambers, Lee, Randolph) 334-261-0538
Vice Chair: Arnold Mooney (Shelby) 334-261-9512
League Position: SUPPORT
Sponsor: Chris England
Title/Description: Sentencing; resentencing of certain sentences subject to judicial override, authorized; retroactive application
Committee: Judiciary
Chair: Jim Hill (St. Clair) 334-261-0494
Vice Chair: Tim Wadsworth (Winston, Walker, Cullman, Jefferson)
205-300-4008
League Position: SUPPORT
Sponsors: Clarke, Jackson, Hassell, Drummond, Lawrence, Gray, Morris, Boyd, Hall, Warren, Hollis, McClammy, Bracy, Moore (M), Ensler, Daniels, Rafferty, Lands, Travis, Hendrix, Jones, Sellers, Datcher, Givan, McCampbell, Forte, Tillman, Chestnut, England
Title/Description: Elections; early voting, in-person voting period, authorized
Committee: Constitution, Campaigns and Elections
Chair: Bob Fincher (Chambers, Lee, Randolph) 334-261-0538
Vice Chair: Arnold Mooney (Shelby) 334-261-9512
League Position: SUPPORT
Sponsor: Chris Elliot
Title/Description: Public library boards; provide that library boards serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority.
Committee: County and Municipal Government
Chair: Reed Ingram (Elmore/Montgomery) 334-261-0507
Vice Chair: Troy Stubbs (Elmore) 334-261-0595
League Position: OPPOSE
Sponsor: Chris Elliot
Title/Description: Department of Archives and History; increase composition to 17 members, and revise manner board members are appointed.
Committee: County and Municipal Government
Chair: Reed Ingram (Elmore/Montgomery) 334-261-0507
Vice Chair: Troy Stubbs (Elmore) 334-261-0595
League Position: OPPOSE
State Legislator Contact Information
You can find your district numbers and representative names by clicking
HERE.
You can find contact information for your state senators by clicking HERE.
You can find contact information for your state representatives by clicking HERE.
House Speaker Ledbetter's Contact Info:
334-261-0505 nathaniel.ledbetter@alhouse.gov
Senate President Pro Tempore Gudger's Contact Info:
334-261-0855 garlan.gudger@alsenate.gov