Parole board leader’s term expires as appointment process begins

The term of Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles Chair Leigh Gwathney officially ends this week, bringing attention to the process of naming the board’s next leader. Gwathney was appointed to a six-year term by Governor Kay Ivey in 2019, and her appointment is now set to expire. Under Alabama law, the Governor selects parole board members with the advice and consent of the Senate. A three-member nominating committee—composed of Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, and Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger—is tasked with submitting a list of five qualified