City leaders preview upcoming Alabama legislative session with Madison County delegation
Published on January 25, 2024
Members of Madison County’s state legislative delegation gave a preview of the 2024 session that will begin next month during a luncheon Monday at the Jackson Center.
Senators Arthur Orr and Steve Livingston as well as Representative Rex Reynolds addressed the audience of business and community leaders that also included Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commission Chair Mac McCutcheon.
“We are very fortunate to have such quality representation in Montgomery and for the critical roles they play in state government,” Mayor Battle said. “We appreciate them updating the community about issues that the legislature will be considering in the upcoming session.”
The speakers commended city and county governments in the Huntsville area for their collaboration and feedback to the lawmakers outlining needs and demands resulting from the growing economy and population.
“Huntsville and Madison County are really help by taking an interest in our state,” Orr said. “My challenge today is to please keep it up. It’s making a difference.”
That teamwork among local governments in north Alabama is critical, Reynolds said.
“Everybody gets it and works together,” Reynolds said. “Not everybody (across the state) does that.”
Livingston was recently voted by his colleagues to be Senate Majority Leader.
“All eyes are turned toward Huntsville as a model (city),” Livingston said. The speakers also touted the success of the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering, a statewide magnet high school located in Huntsville that is the nation’s only high school focused on the integration of cyber technology and engineering into all academic disciplines. Orr noted that four students at the school received perfect scores on the ACT last year and had five students who were National Merit finalists and semifinalists.
Looking ahead to the upcoming legislative session, the speakers said issues are expected to include expanding the state’s workforce, more funding for roads and gaming legislation in addition to passing the General Fund and Education budgets.
