Alabama Senate Shifts Power, Limits Lt. Governor

0:00Alabama's Senate made a unanimous move on Thursday, passing rules that cut back the lieutenant governor's power over appointments and admin duties. They shifted the job of appointing state senators to the Senate Pro Tem, and now senators have to stay at their podiums if they want to bill read out. In full. State Senators Sam Given, from Huntsville, broke it down on a local radio show, saying this is all about pulling power back to the legislative branch, where it belongs. He pointed out the House members get appointed by their speaker, so why should the Senate hand that off to the executive side? Folks are buzzing that this targets candidates in the 2026 lieutenant governor race, but Givhahn shut that down quick. He stressed, it's not personal, it's a broader fix to balance things out after past setups gave too much control to the top executive roles. Givhahn noted the lieutenant governor still holds some sway, like recognizing lawmakers on the floor and handling other appointments. This is just one step in an ongoing cleanup of Senate rules to keep the legislative team

1:00in charge. These tweaks keep the Senate running smoother and more independently, setting the stage for how they'll handle business moving forward. From your city, powered by AI, this is Birmingham News Today. I'm Corey with The Story.