Dothan, ALA – The Alabama House State Government Committee approved a bill on Wednesday that would overhaul the board of trustees for the Alabama Department of Archives & History. Sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, Senate Bill 5 aims to shift the board’s structure, giving more political control to the governor and state legislative leaders.
Currently, the board comprises 16 members, including two trustees from each of Alabama’s congressional districts and two at-large members. The new proposal would expand the board to 17 members, adding Gov. Kay Ivey as the 17th voting member. Ivey’s new role as a voting member is a notable change, as she was previously not part of the decision-making process.
Under the new bill, the governor would assume the power to appoint most board members, including those representing each of the state’s congressional districts. Additionally, eight at-large members would be appointed by the leadership of the state legislature: the Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the minority leaders from both chambers. This shift would replace the current self-appointing structure, making the board more politically linked to elected officials.
Supporters of the bill, including Elliott, argue that the change is necessary to ensure accountability and oversight. “Basically, it takes the board from being a self-appointing board to being one that has appointing authorities,” Elliott explained. The measure, which passed the Senate last week by a vote of 26-5, would go into effect gradually as current board members’ terms expire.
However, the bill has faced opposition from Democrats. Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma, expressed concerns over a provision that allows board members to serve “at the pleasure of his or her appointing authority.” Chestnut believes this provision could make the board overly political. “This makes it an extremely hyper-political board,” he said, fearing that the board’s independence would be undermined.
The bill’s passage comes amid a broader political debate about the role of the Archives Department. In June 2023, the department hosted a controversial presentation on LGBTQ+ history in Alabama, which drew criticism from conservative lawmakers, including Elliott. He and others accused the Archives of failing to be accountable to elected officials, with Elliott calling the board a “unicorn” that operated outside of public oversight.
Elliott had previously attempted to impose financial penalties on the department in 2023 by introducing a bill during a special redistricting session that would have cut its funding by $5 million. Though the measure failed, he introduced a similar bill for the 2024 legislative session, which sought to give more political control over board appointments while maintaining the same board size. While the bill made it through the Senate and a House committee, it ultimately did not reach the House floor.
As it stands, SB 5 will now move to the full House for consideration. If passed, the new board structure could have far-reaching implications for the Archives Department, shifting its oversight into the hands of state political leaders. The bill is expected to spark continued debate over the balance of power in the state’s governance and the independence of cultural institutions like the Archives & History Department.
