Tony Berenotto, chair of the State Board of Veterans Affairs Legislative Committee, leads a meeting on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in Montgomery. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)
Members of the legislative committee of the State Board of Veterans Affairs expressed frustration and apprehension Tuesday over rumored legislative changes that could reshape the board’s structure and governance.
The discussion came after recent controversies surrounding the removal of former Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis by Gov. Kay Ivey. The board, which has faced speculation about its future structure since Davis’s October dismissal, pointed to a lack of communication between the state legislature and veterans’ organizations in crafting potential reforms.
“I find it a little bit offensive whenever politicians get on a TV talk show or with a reporter that had never sat in this room or even talked to anybody to this board that we maybe aren’t doing the right things,” Matt Gaff, a board member, said during the meeting. “And it’s even more disturbing when one of them is a veteran.”
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Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, indicated in November that there may be legislation that could change the board to be an advisory body, with its commissioner appointed by the governor as a cabinet member, according to the Alabama Daily News. Currently, the board is responsible for hiring the department commissioner.
A message seeking comment was left with Jones.
Ivey’s decision to fire Davis sparked ongoing conflict. She accused Davis of mismanaging federal grants tied to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and filing what she described as a “frivolous” ethics complaint against another state official. Despite the board’s narrow vote to retain Davis until the end of his term, Ivey dismissed him hours later, citing a “failure of leadership”.
At the meeting, board members noted that neither they nor veteran service organizations had been consulted about the speculated legislation.
Members pointed to the importance of maintaining veterans’ representation through the board’s current structure, which includes appointments by state veterans’ organizations.
“I don’t come from Mobile to sit up here, just to sit here, and for people to make assumptions that a change has to be made based on what?” Gaff said. He said that the board is not a secret and meetings are open to the public.
Davis’s legal team hinted at potential litigation over Ivey’s authority to terminate his position, raising questions about the balance of power between the governor and the board.
With legislative sessions looming, board members pledged to engage lawmakers and veterans’ organizations to ensure their perspectives are heard.
“We realize there’s going to be changes, but the veterans community ought to be a part of that if it’s going to be,” said Scott Gedling, vice chair of the board.
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