Senators reelect Marsh president pro tem

Alabama state senators reelected Del Marsh as president pro tem of the Senate on Tuesday.

By law, legislators must meet in January following the November election to elect leaders including Senate president pro tem and House speaker.

But, Gov. Bob Riley called a special session in December and lawmakers had to vote for their leadership then.

Lawmakers reelected Rep. Mike Hubbard, R- Auburn, as House speaker and Marsh, R-Anniston, as Senate president pro tem.

"We made the right choice in selecting Senator Marsh as our president pro tem of the Senate," said Senate Majority Leader Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills. " ... I think it was proved during the special session that he was a guy of great integrity and great talent."

Senators reelected Marsh 29-0 with several members missing or late due to weather elsewhere in the state.

Marsh was joined by his wife, Ginger, and his daughter, Christine, but said his son Justin was not able to make it because he was "still celebrating in Glendale." Some legislators rushed back from Arizona early Tuesday after Auburn won the college football national championship.

Marsh promised to be fair as president pro tem. He said he expects the men and women in the Senate "to make history."

"I am honored you have chosen me to take us in that direction," he said in a very brief speech after his election.

Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, said she also supported Marsh's selection as president pro tem.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Senate expects gambling fight on Tuesday

Sen. Lowell Barron, chairman of the committee that decides which bills come to the Senate floor for debate, said "the gaming bill probably will come up on Tuesday."
"That will tie us up for a time," said Barron, D-Fyffe. Barron said he was offering a list of bills to debate on Thursday that he said were not controversial before the gaming bill comes up next week.
Republican Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, offered his own bill to debate on Thursday and that was the bill that would, if approved by the Legislature and voters, create a gaming commission to oversee casino operations at 10 points of destination in the state and tax the revenue.
Marsh, who opposes the legislation, said he wanted people to know Republicans are not holding up the bill. He said they want to move on to bills that Republicans believe will create jobs. His effort to bring up the gambling bill on Thursday failed.
Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, said people were still in discussions and needed time to look at the bill. She said she did not know where she stood on the legislation.
Most Republicans believe the bill would create a monopoly for existing casino operators in the state and would expand gambling.
Democrats who support the bill said it would allow the people to vote, would tax gaming in the state and use the revenue for Medicaid and education, and would stop small illegal operations from popping up throughout the state.
Democrats and casino operators have intensified their push to pass the bill since Gov. Bob Riley's Task Force on Illegal Gambling began attempting raids on large facilities in the state, which have shut down following those attempts and rulings by the Alabama Supreme Court.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen