Matt Simpson (Alabama politician)
Matt Simpson is an American politician currently serving in his second term in the Alabama House of Representatives for House District 96, which he was elected to in November 2018.[1] He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and education
[edit]Simpson was born and raised in Mobile, where he attended Murphy High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in criminal justice from the University of Alabama and has a Juris Doctor degree from Samford University Cumberland School of Law, where he served on the Student Honor Board and was a member of the National Mock Trial Team.[2][3]
For 12 years, Simpson had a career as a prosecutor for the Mobile County District Attorney's Office and as child victims prosecutor for the Baldwin County District Attorney's Office.[2] He currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in Mobile County.[4]
Simpson previously served as chairman of the Baldwin County Republican Party and of the Baldwin County Young Republicans.[5] Simpson has served on the Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee and is the current ALGOP Vice-Chairman for Congressional District 1.[6]
Political career
[edit]Simpson is currently a member of several legislative committees, including the Judiciary Committee; the Ethics and Campaign Finance Committee; the Commerce and Small Business Committee; the Sunset Committee; the Ports, Waterways and Intermodal Transit Committee; the Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Committee and the Baldwin County Legislation Committee.[7] He serves as Vice Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee for Aerospace and Defense and is a member of the Joint Legislative Committee for Mental Health.[8]
In 2021, Representative Simpson was named as Chairman of the Baldwin County Legislation Committee.[9] In 2022, he was elected as Caucus Freshman Representative for the Alabama House Republican Caucus.[8]
Prior to the beginning of the 2023 Legislative Session, Simpson was named Chairman of the House Ethics and Campaign Finance Committee and was also named to the Historical Records Advisory Board Legislative Oversight Committee and the Legislative Committee on Public Accounts.[7]
Key issues and legislation
[edit]Mental health
[edit]Simpson sponsored and passed legislation[10] that funded and created the Baldwin County Mental Health Court, a diversionary court program that places people with mental illnesses into treatment programs in lieu of jail time and secured a $100,000 grant to hasten the program's implementation.[11][12] He has also sponsored legislation that would cover the costs of treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for first responders.[13]
Public safety
[edit]Simpson sponsored and passed legislation to create the Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act,[14] which created the crime of aggravated home repair fraud.[15] He also sponsored legislation that makes possessing a stolen firearm a Class C felony in Alabama[16] and legislation that added enhanced sentences for people convicted of child sex abuse.[17]
Ethics reform
[edit]In the 2024 Legislative Session, Simpson attempted to pass updates and reforms to clarify Alabama's ethics laws that directly effect more than 300,000 public officials and employees in the state.[18] Simpson's bill passed the Alabama House with bipartisan support but failed to make it out of committee in the Alabama Senate.[18][19]
Death Penalty
[edit]In 2024, Simpson proposed a Death penalty bill for child rapists, that could ultimately challenge the precedent of Kennedy v. Louisiana. The bill is similar to the laws passed in Florida and Tennessee.[20][21][22]
References
[edit]- ^ "Matt Simpson". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ a b "State Representative Matt Simpson". BCC. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
- ^ "Matt Simpson". Davis & Fields, P.C. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ Whitmire, Kyle (2024-04-12). "Alabama lawmaker wants to rewrite ethics law he wasn't following". al. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Matt Simpson". Alabama Republican Party. 2011-04-25. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "Leadership". Alabama Republican Party. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ a b "Alabama Legislature". alison.legislature.state.al.us. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b "State Representative Matt Simpson Elected As Freshman Representative Of The Alabama House Republican Caucus". Alabama House Republican Caucus. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ Brandon Moseley (2021-07-20). "Rep. Matt Simpson new chair of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "Legislative Acts | Alabama Secretary of State". arc-sos.state.al.us. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "Baldwin County creating mental health court after Gov. Ivey signs bill into law". FOX10 News. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
- ^ Pounds, Emily (2021-08-03). "Mental health court-approved, Baldwin Court will be the 1st one south of Montgomery". WPMI. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
- ^ "Alabama lawmakers introduce bill to cover costs for first responders with PTSD". CBS 42. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "Alabama HB27 | 2021 | Regular Session". LegiScan. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "Governor Ivey to host ceremonial bill signing". FOX10 News. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "Governor to sign House Bill 375 into law this Thursday". FOX10 News. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ "HB 237 - Alabama House (2019rs) - Open States". openstates.org. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
- ^ a b Cason, Mike (2024-04-02). "Alabama House passes bill to repeal, replace state ethics law". al. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Chapoco, Ralph (2024-05-08). "Legislation to change Alabama ethics law dies in committee • Alabama Reflector". Alabama Reflector. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ Erica Thomas (6 October 2024). "State Rep. Simpson pre-files bill allowing death penalty for child rape, sodomy". 1819news.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Alexander Willis (8 October 2024). "The death penalty is not used enough;' Alabama lawmaker pushes for death sentence for child rapists". aldailynews.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Brad Gunther (8 October 2024). "Alabama bill would make certain rape cases eligible for the death penalty". mynbc15.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.