Alabama Politics in
Doc’s Political Parlor
& Home of Lawn Mower Repair

NOTE: Sen. Hank Sanders has written a weekly column for papers in his legislative district for the past twenty years. These rural, weekly papers lack a web presence, and therefore a link to the publication is not available. The column below is provided by Sen. Sanders’ office for inclusion in the Daily News Digest.

Senate Sketches # 1044

By

Senator Hank Sanders

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When it rains, it pours. It happens in life. It happens in the Alabama State Senate. I was scorched by the drought and flooded by the pouring. I am still standing.

“When it rains, it pours” was an often-used phrase by farmers struggling to grow crops and make ends meet. They needed reasonable rain on a regular basis. Instead they appeared to receive no rain for long periods and then a whole lot in a short time. Put another way, “When it rained, it poured.”

The Alabama Senate had a drought for 12 of the 13 weeks in the 2007 Regular Legislation Session. We only passed five bills (excluding Sunset) during that time. The education budget and general fund budget were dying from drought. So were the $1.1 billion bond issue and other bills of importance.

The drought was forged by the Senate lock down. A Minority of Senators had closed the legislative heavens. Nothing could pass. Not even dew fell from the Senate skies. All legislation was dying on the proverbial vines. Storm clouds filled the sky but no rain fell.

Last week the legislative heavens opened. The Alabama Senate rained bills. It poured during two legislative days. It was not just the number of bills, but the quality. We passed a $6.5 billion education budget. We passed a $1.8 billion general fund budget. We also passed 62 other bills all on the same day. When it rains, it pours.

The next legislative day, we passed a $1.1 billion education bond bill for capital improvements in our schools. We also passed 94 other bills and 98 resolutions. When it rains in the Alabama Senate, it pours.

This was the worst year yet, but it was not without precedent. Last year, the Senate passed 154 bills during a two-day down pouring near the end of the session. The year before the Senate passed 95 bills in a three-day stretch.

Sometimes in cloud bursts the crops get lost in the flood. Therefore I want to share more specifically the planting, cultivation, and harvesting of the education budget and the bond bill. As Chair of the Finance and Taxation Education (F&TE) Committee, I had particular responsibility for guiding these bills through the Alabama Senate.

This year, the education budget and education bond bill were introduced in the Legislature in early March. We had intended to consider the education budget in the Senate first because it started in the House last year. However, the Senate drought (lock down) changed our plans. Therefore both the education budget and bond bill started in the House.

I was not idle. I worked as hard as if the budget had started in the Senate. Several times a week, I met with Representative Richard Lindsey and Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO) staff about the budget and bond bill. Representative Lindsey is Chair of the House Committee which handles the education budget. He is smart, honest, fair, and exercises very good judgment. Joyce Bigbee, Norris Green, and other LFO staff members are smart, dedicated, hard working, and creative.

By the time the budget and the bond bill passed the House and arrived in the Senate, the major issues had been resolved through collaboration. Even though we could not get the bills assigned to the F&TE Committee because of the lock down, I continued working. I met with senators individually as well as representatives of K-12, two-year colleges and four-year universities. I even held a committee meeting on the education budget without the budget being assigned to the committee.

When the Majority broke the lock down, the education budget was assigned to the F&TE Committee the same day. The next day we reported it out of the committee without amendments or much consideration. We wanted it to be in position to be considered by the full Senate at the earliest opportunity. The Alabama Constitution mandates that a bill lay over one legislative day after committee work before being considered by the full Senate.

I worked on the education budget that Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I had to have a substitute budget ready for Tuesday. The $6.8 billion education budget was debated for only 38 minutes before passing the Senate. When it rains, it pours.

The bond bill followed a similar pattern. It was assigned to the F&TE Committee the first legislative day after the lock down was broken. The next day we passed it out of committee without amendments. We also worked on a substitute bill for consideration on the Senate Floor. On Thursday we passed the $1.1 billion bond bill after only 40 minutes of debate. When it rains, it pours.

I’m just glad the drought did not kill important legislation. I’m also glad the down pouring did not wash away other much needed crops. I’m glad to be still standing.

Now on to the Daily Diary.

Saturday - I worked on the education budget, talked to various senators and other leaders, and attended the funeral of Lawrence Bryant in Hazen, Alabama. I returned to work into the night on the education budget, bond bill, Sketches, and other matters.

Sunday - I did Radio Sunday School, Radio Education, and Sunday Review. I participated in Sunday School before driving to Jackson, Mississippi for the funeral of Mrs. Dorothy Micou, Rita Lett’s mother. I worked on the education budget by phone as I traveled the 400 miles to and from Jackson. I returned to Selma and worked further into the night.

Monday - I traveled to Montgomery to work on the education budget on this holiday. I talked with a number of persons including the following: Dr. Paul Hubbert of the Alabama Education Association (AEA); Senator Roger Bedford, Chair of the General Fund Budget; and Joyce Bigbee and Norris Greene of LFO. I called Senator Linda Coleman about her mother’s death. I returned to Selma and continued working on some very difficult problems.

Tuesday - I traveled to Montgomery for a series of meetings on the budget. I worked through problem after problem. We passed the education budget and related bills. I went to a dinner to celebrate passage of the education budget with Senator Parker Griffith, Senator Zeb Little, Rick Dent and others before returning to Selma.

Wednesday - I traveled to Montgomery for several committees meetings including F&TE where we reported the education bond bill. I talked to media members and attended the retirement reception for Reverend Charles Moore, a Senate employee. I traveled with Senator Quinton Ross and Senator Vivian Davis Figures to Birmingham for the family hour for Senator Linda Coleman’s deceased mother, Mrs. Annie Lee Foster Ray. We returned to Montgomery too late for the Senate Democratic Caucus dinner with Ferrell Patrick but a few of us were able to share dinner anyway. I returned to Selma.

Thursday - I traveled to Montgomery to work on the Education Bond Bill. I met with many persons and media reporters. We passed the bond bill and other legislation in a Senate Session. During dinner to celebrate the passage of the Education Bond Bill, I shared with several friends including Senator Myron Penn, Karen Lowery, Sharon Wheeler, Ray Crosby, and Susan Kennedy. I also visited with Ray’s two children, Sarah and Jack Crosby, as well as Cline Thompson before returning to my Senate office for the last half of the Cleveland-Detroit NBA game. I traveled to Selma.

Friday - I began work on Sketches. I traveled to Marion for the Black Belt Action Commission (BBAC) meeting and talked with persons from across the state. I returned to Selma to continue work on Sketches and other matters. I talked with many leaders about the budget and bond bill aftermath. I had to handle a very important matter that night.

EPILOGUE - My mother used to say, “Son, however bad it is, it will be alright. You will also be alright.” Understanding that helps me to get through droughts and floods.

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