State Rep. Debbie Hamby Wood (R-Valley) on Thursday announced her intentions to seek reelection to the Alabama House of Representatives, serving District 38.
Wood was first elected to the legislature in 2018. Prior to her service in the legislature’s lower chamber, she served on the Chambers County Commission for 16 years. She also served as president of the Alabama Association of County Commissioners from 2013-2014.
In announcing her reelection bid to supporters, Wood vowed to remain embedded within the communities she serves.
“It’s been such an honor to serve District 38 these past three years,” said Wood. “I think it’s important to have someone representing you who listens to your desires and is accessible, and I’ll continue to do that. People here know where my office is, and they know they can stop by and talk to me and I’ll listen to them with respect. I always try to do what’s best for my constituents, and I’m going to continue to do that as well.”
The freshman legislator pledged to continue her support for the education community.
She added, “I sit on the Education Committee in the House, and the education budget is the largest one the legislature has to deal with every year,” she added. “I’m going to continue to make sound decisions about how we spend every single dollar. Our teachers and students have been beat up this last year and a half from COVID, and we have to give them all the support we can.”
Wood went on to tell the crowd of supporters that she would carry out a motto by which she models her service, an acronym that spells her last name. The legislator states that she will be wise, open-minded, outspoken and dedicated.
Wood touted her colleagues’ work in passing pandemic-related legislation which allows families to visit loved ones who undergo end-of-life care.
“I’m going to continue to work to see that individuals have access to their family members in the hospital and nursing homes,” she said. “We passed HB 521, which allowed families to be with their loved ones at the end of life, and I want to expand on that in this next session. People need to be allowed to be there, and to be allowed to advocate for their loved ones, especially during these times.”
Wood was born in Valley and attended Beulah High School and Southern Union State Community College. Since 2000, she has been a small businesswoman as owner and operator of Century 21 Wood Real Estate. She and her husband, Bobby, live in Valley. They have two children and three grandchildren.
House District 38 includes portions of Chambers and Lee Counties. The primary election is slated to occur on May 24, 2022.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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