Ivey promises transparency during inaugural address

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Gov. Kay Ivey on Jan. 17 signed Executive Orders 726, 727 and 728 to establish and promote more efficiency, accountability and transparency within state government.

An open, honest and transparent administration is a priority, Ivey said during her inaugural address Jan. 16.

“In 2017, I promised my administration would be open, honest and transparent. I recommit to you today: We will continue striving to make good on that promise,” said Ivey. “We will make much needed reforms to ensure your state government works more efficiently, is more accountable and works with more transparency. We will tighten up government.”

Executive Order 726 will promote the faithful execution of the laws within the executive branch of state government by establishing standards for the management and operation of state agencies to further unify executive branch agencies under the leadership of the governor.

Executive Order 727 will establish the Governor’s Study Group on Efficiency in State Government.

The Efficiency Study Group will examine ways to increase recruitment and retention of state employees and the potential elimination and consolidation of state agencies, boards and commissions. A report and recommendations on the group’s findings will be made by Dec. 15, 2023.

Members of the Governor’s Study Group on Efficiency will include the following:

Alabama State Treasurer Young Boozer (Chair)

Senator Clyde Chambliss

Senator Linda Coleman Madison

Representative Chris Pringle

Alabama Department of Revenue Commissioner Vernon Barnett

Alabama Department of Finance State Comptroller Kathleen Baxter

State Personnel Director Jackie Graham

State Budget Officer Doryan Carlton

Manufacture Alabama Chief Operating Officer Jon Barganier

Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts Chief Examiner Rachel Riddle (Advisory Capacity)

Executive Order 728 will promote efficiency and accountability in the use of state vehicles. Currently, the executive branch owns more than 9,000 vehicles to support a workforce of around 30,000 employees.

In November 2022, a day after the General Election, Ivey sent a memo to state agencies in the executive branch asking for an accounting of state vehicles by Dec. 9, 2022.

Key provisions of Executive Order 728 include requiring each agency to establish policies to eliminate unnecessary state vehicles and to better ensure the proper use and assignment of state vehicles for official purposes. Agencies will also be required to report annually to Ivey’s office concerning their use of agency vehicles and to improve oversight in the issuance of “cover tags,” or undercover license plates designed to facilitate undercover law enforcement operations. Importantly, the order directs ALDOT to eliminate the State Motor Pool by Oct. 1, 2023.