Filibuster stalls tornado legislation
Published 2:30 pm Tuesday, May 31, 2011
MONTGOMERY – Tuesday, Democrats Rodger Smitherman and Bobby Singleton, spent the entire morning filibustering the Alabama Senate while important tornado relief legislation and other key bills wait.
“It is unbelievable that Democrats would stand in the way and be a road block in assisting people in their time of need,” said Senator Trip Pitman. “They are wasting the taxpayer’s time filibustering bills they say they support.”
The Alabama Senate has been unable to do the business of the people because of a handful of Democrats. Important legislation like Homeowner’s Insurance Relief, the creation of a Legislative Compensation Commission, and the Tornado Recovery Tax Incentive Protection Act were adopted on a Special Order Calendar today, but Democrats started filibustering immediately even going so far as complaining about starting session at 10 a.m.
“The Democrats have been slowing down and stalling the legislative process this entire session,” said Majority Leader Jabo Waggoner. “We are proud of all of the great legislation we have passed so far but Democrats are intentionally derailing our efforts to help pass the people of Alabama recover from the tornados’ impact.”
There are only three days left in the Legislative Session after today.