SB544 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jimmy Holley

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

SB544 would add American Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives of America, and the Noncommissioned Officers Association as nominating organizations for Alabama's State Board of Veterans' Affairs and set how their nominations are allocated.

What This Bill Does

It expands the pool of groups that can nominate board members. For each seat allocated to these organizations, their executive committees must nominate three veterans who belong to the organization, with nominations representing veterans from every war in the membership. The Governor would appoint board members from these nominations, and the board must ensure the overall membership reflects statewide diversity in race, gender, geography, urban/rural status, and economy, while retaining existing rule-making and governance authority and allowing representation for a WWII veterans organization with a national charter.

Who It Affects

• American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., and the Noncommissioned Officers Association, Inc. — gain the right to nominate three veteran candidates for each board seat they are entitled to, influencing the composition of the State Board of Veterans' Affairs.
• The Governor and the State Board of Veterans' Affairs — the appointment process is updated to include these additional nominating organizations and to require diversity and war-representative considerations in nominations.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 31-5-3 to add 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 board seat allocated to these organizations, the organizations' executive committees must nominate three veterans who are members of the organization; nominations must include veterans from every war represented by the organizations' membership.
• The board shall have authority to grant representation to a World War II veterans organization with a national charter, operating through Alabama local groups, on the same basis of membership.
• The membership composition must reflect statewide diversity (racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, economic) and adhere to the ratio-based nomination framework; the Governor appoints from these nominations, subject to existing rules and regulations for the department.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Veterans' Affairs, State Department of