On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate voted to remove a significant portion of proposed legislation that would restructure the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) and the State Board of Veterans Affairs. 

Senators adopted a substitute version of the bill that kept a cabinet-level appointment for the ADVA Commissioner – but walked back various changes to how the board is appointed. 

Currently, the board is appointed by the governor from recommendations made by the state’s largest veterans’ service organizations, and the commissioner is appointed by that board. 

Last Tuesday, a flurry of amendments were attached to the bill that would have changed the board’s required appointment slots. 

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However, Senators reversed that course today.

“After talking with members here and hearing feedback from different veterans organizations, we’ve come to the consensus that we will make the as current legislation stated, make the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs a cabinet level position, and leave in place the current structure of the Veterans Affairs board with a couple of caveats,” State Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre), the bill’s sponsor, said.

“Some of the organizations have expressed a desire to make a re-appointment to the board so upon the passage of this act, those veteran service organizations can re-nominate by sending three nominees to the governor. So. it’s not going to make any change to who’s on the board or the makeup of the board. It’s just going to allow the governor to allow those organizations to submit new names to the governor if they wish to,” Jones added.

After some conversation among lawmakers, including State Sens. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) and Chris Elliott (R-Josephine), the substitute was adopted, and the bill was passed 21-9. Tuesday was day seven of the 2025 state legislative session.