Joe Turnham: Plenty of success stories inside State House

Even amidst the cynicism, controversy and partisan election year posturing, the 2010 session of the Alabama Legislature achieved some solid and notable success.

There were 828 bills introduced in the House and 597 bills introduced in the Senate. Of these 1,425 total bills, an astounding 254 of those bills introduced became law, and another 50 bills were passed, but are awaiting today’s deadline of action by Gov. Bob Riley.

In the greatest state economic crisis since the Great Depression, the legislature passed balanced education and general fund budgets, that while lean; keep basic school and public services in tact.

These budgets avoided major layoffs or severe cuts to critical basic services like Medicaid, public health and public safety.

While political spin misters were screaming about bingo and gridlock; Democratic House Speaker Seth Hammett and Democratic Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom were methodically solving huge issues like the budget shortfalls and finding a solution to the PACT crisis.

Sen. Ted Little of Auburn sponsored the Senate version of PACT reform and the Democratic legislature found an innovative way to save this vital contract with 40,000 Alabama families.

In addition, Democrats sponsored a constitutional amendment for you to vote on in November that will provide $1 billion in funds to replace worn out roads and bridges in all 67 counties of Alabama.
Republican partisans found ways to stifle your right to vote on three key other constitutional amendments:

1) removing the sales tax on groceries

2) creating a constitutional convention to rewrite Alabama’s constitution

3) letting voters decide whether to allow, regulate and tax gaming. Nearly 80 percent of voters wanted this right and were denied it by way of the Republican minority.

As Republicans wail about the Democrats, remember who denied your right to vote!

Bills were also passed to provide tax incentives for job creation and to fund the rehab of the State Agriculture Coliseum in Montgomery.

Kids in our public schools grades K-8 will be required to take physical education. This important legislation will help us combat childhood obesity.

New energy efficiency codes were passed to adopt ways of saving energy. A new law to protect children against abduction was passed under Democratic leadership as well as a strict regulation to govern the sale of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in making meth amphetamine.

The House under Democratic leadership again passed a ban on PAC-to-PAC transfers and the Senate Democratic Caucus moved several strong ethics bills like requiring those lobbying the Governor’s Office to adhere to the Alabama Ethics Law (remember Paragon Source). Gov. Riley has already vetoed a similar bill.

Democratic leaders in the Legislature have worked fairly and openly with Republicans these past four years. Republicans carry bills and are given favorable treatment on the debate rules and the placement of bills on the calendar.

This bi-partisan spirit is being crushed by the 2010 takeover rhetoric and actions of Republicans. People want Democrats and Republicans to work through differences and make government work.
Democratic Speaker Seth Hammett is retiring in 2010 after an unprecedented three terms as Speaker.

He was professional, fair, efficient and smart.

He worked across party lines to solve the critical problems facing our state.

Even Gov. Riley came to the House chamber on the final day of the session to pay him tribute.

Democrats will go to war to win races in 2010. But don’t let the rhetoric and sensational misinformation cloud you from making solid choices in each race in November.

Governing is hard in these days and Republican partisanship should never cloud the reality that many things have worked well with Democratic leadership in Montgomery.

Joe Turnham is Alabama Democratic Party Chairman and lives in Auburn.