HB711 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul W. LeeRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Veterans' Affairs, State Department of, veterans organizations making nominations, Gold Star Mothers, Gold Stars Wives, and the Noncommissioned Officers Association, Inc., added to nominating organizations, Sec. 31-5-3 am'd.

Summary

HB711 would add American Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives of America, and the Noncommissioned Officers Association as nominating bodies for Alabama's State Board of Veterans' Affairs and specify how nominees are chosen.

What This Bill Does

It amends Section 31-5-3 to allow three new organizations to nominate members to the State Board of Veterans' Affairs. For each board seat an organization is entitled to, its executive committees must nominate three veterans from their membership. The Governor still appoints board members from these nominations for four-year terms, with seats allocated based on the organization's membership as of July 1 of the appointment year, and the board must ensure diverse representation, including the possibility of adding a WWII veterans organization with a national charter under similar terms.

Who It Affects

• Members and leadership of the American Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives of America, and the Noncommissioned Officers Association gain nomination rights for State Board of Veterans' Affairs seats and influence over who serves on the board.
• Alabama veterans and the public, who will experience broader and more diverse representation on the State Board of Veterans' Affairs due to the expanded pool of nominating organizations.

Key Provisions

• Adds American Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives of America, and the Noncommissioned Officers Association as nominating organizations for the State Board of Veterans' Affairs.
• For each seat the organizations are entitled to, their executive committees must nominate three veterans from their memberships, with seats allocated based on membership counts as of July 1 prior to appointment (base seats for up to 7,500 members and additional seats for each 7,500 members or fraction).
• Nominations must reflect veterans from every war represented in the organizations' memberships, and the board may grant representation to a Second World War organization with a national charter under similar terms.
• The board is required to maintain a membership that is inclusive and reflective of the state's racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Veterans' Affairs, State Department of