On Tuesday, the Alabama House passed HB220, legislation that would give the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President Pro Tem the authority to remove and replace members they appoint to state boards and commissions.
The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) and Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle (R-Mobile), establishes that all appointees to state boards, authorities, and commissions “serve at the pleasure” of their appointing authority.
In a statement after the vote, House leadership cited the recent controversy surrounding the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, a state appointed entity whose entire board was discharged following the uncovering of widespread misuse of state money and property by board members.
“Being appointed to a state board or commission is a privilege, not a right, and we need a mechanism to remove appointees when they fail to fulfill their duties, habitually miss meetings, or otherwise ignore their responsibilities,” Ledbetter said.
“This legislation brings a much-needed layer of accountability to the appointments and removal process and ensures that the needs of Alabama taxpayers are being met and served at all times.”
Pringle pointed to the events in Talladega as evidence of the need for the legislation.
In November, Governor Kay Ivey removed all 18 members of the Hall of Fame’s commission after state auditors uncovered 35 violations, including over $236,000 in misspent funds and the unauthorized sale of historic vehicles.
“When the Examiners of Public Accounts discovered highly questionable administrative practices and a complete lack of oversight at the Motorsports Hall of Fame, Gov. Kay Ivey vacated the entire board of directors and appointed new members to clean up the mess,” Pringle said.
“State law allowed her to fire and replace that board, but we need to make sure that same ability applies to every board and commission and every appointing authority so we can address similar transgressions if they ever occur again.”
HB220 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Tuesday was day 11 of the 2026 state legislative session. There are 19 legislative days remaining.
Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may email him at [email protected].
