Senate committee gives election bill a favorable report after defeating amendment to make special election discretionary

A state Senate committee reported House Bill 1 favorably after debate and a roll call in which senators rejected an amendment to make a mandated special election discretionary.

Congressman Shamar Figures, invited to address the committee, framed the debate as a defense of long-standing protections that enabled meaningful representation for historically marginalized communities. "I put politics aside," Figures said, describing constituent work such as efforts to keep a hospital in his district open and noting that his congressional district is about 47% Black.

Senator Coleman challenged the sponsor’s opening statements about the bill and pressed whether reverting to the 2023 maps would effectively change the court-drawn, race-neutral maps. She said the courts had instructed no new maps until 2030 and warned that moving forward could harm the state's economic development and reputation.

Senator Coleman then offered an amendment that would replace the word "shall" with "may" in the referenced lines of the Code of Alabama 1995, shifting a statutory mandate to a discretionary power for the governor. "Simple change from a mandate of the word shall to change that to the word may to give the state of Alabama the opportunity to do the right thing," Coleman said when moving the amendment. The clerk called the roll for the amendment; the transcript records Senator Albritton voting No, Senators Coleman, Hatcher and Coleman‑Madison recorded as voting Aye, and Senators Hovey and Elliott recorded as No. The chair announced the amendment was not adopted.

Senator Coleman‑Madison made an emotional appeal opposing the bill, invoking civil-rights history and urging voters to use their power. "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired," she said, and warned the legislation would disproportionately harm people of color and could cost taxpayers about $4.5 million, as stated in her remarks.

When questioned by Senator Hatcher about the High Court waiving a waiting period, the sponsor said the bill’s practical effect depends on any subsequent court rulings and that the statutory mechanism would not take effect absent a court decision in a relevant direction.

On the final roll call, the transcript records "Aye" votes from Senators Albritton, Cornley, Geter, Hovey and Elliott and "No" votes from Senators Coleman, Hatch and Coleman‑Madison; votes for Senators Chambliss and Kelly were not recorded in the transcript. The chair announced that the bill "receives a favorable report." The committee then adjourned.

The record shows two formal actions in the committee: the failed Coleman amendment (moved by Senator Coleman, seconded by Senator Coleman‑Madison) and the committee's favorable report on House Bill 1. The transcript does not record the full roll of every member for each vote; the report of the favorable vote was announced from the chair based on the roll called by the clerk.

Next steps were not specified in the transcript; the committee adjourned following the vote.