State Sen. Andrew Jones shares his top ten accomplishments from 2024

This month’s edition of State Sen. Andrew Jones’ (R-Centre) newsletter featured a top ten list of legislative and district accomplishments he was proud of in 2024. Read it in full below:

10. Senator Jones Awarded ALGOP “Defender of Freedom” Award

In recognition of his success in passing the largest tax cut in Alabama history, Andrew, along with Representative Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, was awarded with the “Defender of Freedom” Award for his work to pass legislation cutting Alabama’s grocery tax in half.

9. Page Program Hits Its Stride

This year, 19 middle school students from District 10 served as pages in the Alabama Senate. In addition to serving on the Senate floor, these young men and women toured the capital city and visited with Governor Ivey and Lt. Governor Ainsworth. These students, nominated by their schools, have bright futures ahead of them!

8. Sweet Trails Alabama Gets Sweeter

After Senator Jones authored the Sweet Trails Alabama Legislation in 2023, the Sweet Trails Team got to work on a statewide master plan to link all 67 counties in Alabama by trail. Anticipating the completion of the plan, Andrew helped secure an additional $1.2 million in the fiscal year 2025 budget to begin implementing it. The Sweet Trails team is now coordinating funding for trail feasibility studies, a trail toolkit, and other projects to begin bringing the plan to fruition.

7. Megasite Investments top $13 million

This year, an additional $4.6 million was invested in the Northeast Alabama Regional (NEAR) Megasite. This site has been a top priority for Senator Jones since his first election, and he co-sponsored the SEEDS Act which brought about this investment. To date, over $13 million, including almost $9 million through the Growing Alabama Tax Credit, has been invested in the Megasite. Andrew is hopeful that investments like these will further efforts to land a major employer at the Etowah County site.

6. $1 million in Extra School Funding

This year Senator Jones’ office funded 855 teachers with $100 classroom grants and 47 schools with $5000 special project grants for a total of $320,500. Additionally, 10 different schools across the district received over $839,000 in funding through the Lt. Governor’s Capital K-12 Grant Program funded by the legislature. These projects included:

$100,000- Gadsden City High (Track Refurbishment)
$100,000- Geraldine High (New Stadium Restrooms)
$100,000- Cedar Bluff High (New Fieldhouse)
$95,000- Etowah High (New Wellness Center)
$121,213- Etowah Career Tech (Outdoor Classroom)
$65,706- Etowah Career Tech (LED Lighting)
$74,454- Sardis High (Door Replacement)
$90,000- Duck Springs Elementary (Cafeteria Roof)
$6,977- Ivalee Elementary (Tile Floor)
$40,909- Southside High School (HVAC Replacement)
$44,863- Glencoe High School (enclosure between buildings)

5. Senator Jones Selected for Prestigious Henry Toll Fellowship

Andrew was honored to receive the 2024 Henry Toll Fellowship Award along with 48 colleagues from 34 states. Toll Fellows are selected based on their demonstrated commitment to solve problems, to work collaboratively to get things done, and their belief that state government can and must be a force for good. There are over 1,400 graduates of the Toll Fellowship, including 4 sitting state/territorial house speakers, 8 sitting state supreme court justices, 10 sitting members of Congress, 3 sitting governors and more than 200 Toll alumni currently serving as state/territorial legislators.

4. $10.4 Million in Broadband Investments

Andrew is honored to serve on the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority (ADEA), the board tasked with overseeing the deployment of broadband around the state. This year, $10.4 million in broadband investments came to District 10 and bordering communities through grants to Coosa Valley Technologies, Farmers Telecommunications Corporation, and Spectrum Southeast.

3. Military Package Becomes Law

Through his work as Chairman of the Senate Military, Veterans, and Public Safety Committee, Senator Jones helped shepherd through a package of 10 bills to improve the quality of life for military service members and their families. Senator Jones personally sponsored three of these bills, including legislation to exempt deployed troops from state income tax, guarantee high school athletic eligibility for military dependents, and establish a Veterans Mental Health Steering Committee to develop a comprehensive plan for treating veterans’ mental health needs.

2. $3.3 Million in Road Funding… and a new Southside Bridge?

Etowah County got a step closer to a new Southside Bridge as public meetings were held by ALDOT to solicit feedback on two different proposals. Other infrastructure investments this year were over $3.3 million, including the following:

Town of Leesburg $350,000
Websters Chapel Road $500,000
Town of Glencoe $1.9 million
Cherokee County $350,000
Northeast Alabama Regional Airport $239,000

1. Senator Jones Receives “20 Under 40” Leadership Award

Senator Andrew Jones was one of twenty up-and-coming state officials to be selected for the 2024 Council of State Governments 20 Under 40 Leadership Award. This year’s class represented 16 U.S. states and territories across all four CSG regions. 20 Under 40 leaders must exemplify a commitment to bipartisanship and innovative solutions. This includes the ability to engage officials across party lines, provide exceptional leadership, and serve as a champion of change.

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270