Tagged: Alabama Republican Rep. Paul DeMarco

Alabama lawmakers have passed bills that would make it easier to criminally charge people who abuse, neglect or financially exploit the elderly.

The sponsors say they expect the governor to sign one of the bills into law once the two slightly different versions are reconciled.

The Senate sponsor, Republican Sen. Cam Ward of Alabaster, says only one word in the measure that passed the Senate is different from the House-passed version sponsored by Republican Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood.

An Alabama state lawmaker has pre-filed legislation that would require the state auditor to keep a searchable public database listing any piece of personal property owned by the state and valued at $500 or more.

Homewood Republican Rep. Paul Demarco announced Monday that he is sponsoring the legislation in an attempt to bring more transparency and accountability to government.

DeMarco says taxpayers should be able to see what exactly is being purchased with their tax money.

Two bills proposed for the legislative session starting Feb. 5 will provide additional criminal penalties for the abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of older citizens.

Two Republican legislators, Sen. Cam Ward of Alabaster and Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood, announced the legislation Monday in Shelby County along with the state director of Senior Services, Neal Morrison. The legislation is recommended by the Alabama Interagency Council for Prevention of Elder Abuse and is backed by the governor.

Some members of the Alabama Legislature have been trying for more than 10 years to rewrite the Alabama Constitution by doing it one article at a time.

Two of the rewritten articles are finally ready to go before voters. Proposed amendments rewriting two sections on the 1901 Constitution relating to banking and corporations passed the Alabama House and Senate earlier this year and will be on the Nov. 6 ballot.

It's a similar process that was used in the early 1970s to rewrite the state's judicial articles.