MONTGOMERY — Seven members of the Alabama House of Representatives were appointed to committees following the vacancy left by Rep. Kyle South (R-Fayette) at the end of the 2023 legislative session.
Two of those lawmakers represent North Alabama – both first-term members earning spots on influential committees.
Rep. Kerry Underwood (R-Tuscumbia) will join the House General Fund Committee and Rep. James Lomax (R-Huntsville) will join the Financial Services Committee, Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) announced.
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The House General Fund Committee had a leading role in the appropriation of ARPA funds during the special session and approval of a $3 billion FY2024 budget.
Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville), chairman of the General Fund, now has former Tuscumbia Mayor Kerry Underwood in his ranks.
“I am grateful to Speaker Ledbetter for appointing me to the Ways & Means General Fund last week. This is a great opportunity for me to serve on a committee which I’ve had training and practical experience as both a CPA and a mayor,” Underwood told 256 Today.
“I look forward to working with Chairman Reynolds as well as the rest of the committee members who have done such an exceptional job to begin our quadrennium.”
Lomax also said he would put his experience to work on the House Financial Services Committee.
“Financial institutions are certainly an important part of the Huntsville area, and I look forward to the hard work ahead of this committee as we seek to make all of Alabama a better place to live, work, and play,” Lomax said. “I’m extremely grateful to Speaker Ledbetter and Chairman Blackshear for placement on the Financial Services committee.”
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Among the accomplishments touted by legislative leadership in the first year of the quadrennium, Ledbetter pointed to a range of wins for the state:
“In just three months, this Legislature allocated more than $1 billion in federal funding during a special session, passed record Education and General Fund budgets totaling $12 billion collectively, enacted the largest tax cut in Alabama history while taking a huge step toward abolishing the state grocery tax altogether, exempted taxes on overtime pay for our hard-working citizens, and approved unprecedented rebates for Alabama taxpayers.”
While legislative committees meet and work year-round, all lawmakers will return to Montgomery this month for a special session called by Gov. Kay Ivey.
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