The 2025 Legislative Session was my second representing House District 16, which includes all of Fayette, northern Tuscaloosa, and western Jefferson Counties.
After winning this seat in a contested special election in 2024, I have worked every day with one goal — to bring more jobs and opportunity and an even higher quality of life to the more than 48,000 West Alabama citizens that reside in my district.
All of my efforts are focused on providing more high-wage jobs, safer roads and bridges, and the well-funded, quality education opportunities that our children deserve.
Every vote I have cast in Montgomery reflects those commitments, and the 2025 regular legislative session witnessed the passage of conservative, commonsense policies that will move House District 16 — and the state of Alabama as a whole — in a positive direction.
While the 2026 presidential election is behind us and produced the best possible outcome for the American people, Alabama’s election integrity efforts remain in full swing.
I was honored when Secretary of State Wes Allen asked me to sponsor House Bill 479, a measure that permanently removed Alabama from the Electronic Registration Information Center System, which is commonly known as ERIC.
Up until 2023, Alabama used the ERIC system to identify voters whose addresses had changed between elections in order to maintain accurate voting rolls, but while that goal is worthy, the problem lies with who runs the organization and how it operates.
Voter rolls contain highly sensitive, private information that state leaders must be certain is stored securely, yet when Secretary of State Allen asked ERIC officials simple questions—such as where this personal data is stored and who has access to it—they refused to answer.
He then made a personal visit to ERIC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. but found that the listed location was actually a virtual shared workspace and that no physical headquarters existed there.
Following that discovery, Alabama officially withdrew from the system, and my bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey, provides a victory for honest elections by ensuring that our state can never reenroll.
Another important measure this session was promoted by the Alabama Farmers Federation, which is also known as ALFA, and created a new, affordable healthcare option for family farms and others who work in the agriculture industry.
By making it easier for farmers and their families to obtain quality coverage at affordable costs, we can keep the industry healthy and maintain Alabama’s rich farm tradition for generations yet to come.
Though ALFA promised that those enrolled in the health insurance program would be covered, I successfully attached an amendment to the bill ensuring that anyone diagnosed with a pre-existing condition, such as cancer or pregnancy, could not be dropped or denied care.
I am confident that my amendment made a better and stronger bill for the Alabama farmers it was meant to benefit.
During the final days of the session, the Senate was brought to a standstill by a Democrat-led filibuster that lasted nearly 12 hours and began when one of my local bills for Fayette County was brought to the floor. While the filibuster had nothing to do with my legislation, the stall tactic resulted in many needed and necessary local bills being killed.
Because I was able to place the Fayette County legislation as the first and second bills to be considered on the last day’s Senate calendar, they secured final passage even amid the chaos.
HB511 and HB512 had absolutely no statewide impact, but for the Fayette County Revenue Commissioner and Sheriff they were vital. Local bills are not flashy and don’t draw headlines, but for the people we represent, they are why they need a representative in Montgomery.
During the 2026 legislative session and all that follow, I will remain committed to delivering results that reflect the values, needs, and priorities of the citizens I swore an oath to serve.
Whether it’s strengthening our elections, supporting agriculture, or improving local government, my focus is on practical, principled policy that helps our communities grow.
State Representative Bryan Brinyark is a member of the Alabama House, representing the people of District 16 covering parts of Fayette, Tuscaloosa, and Jefferson counties.
