MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Senate opened the 2026 legislative session with a relatively quiet first week, as lawmakers moved quickly through a light calendar and avoided the procedural conflicts that marked the end of last year’s session.
Republican leaders say the calm start does not mean the chamber will remain free of friction, particularly as legislation begins moving to the Senate floor and debates intensify.
Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger said communication will be critical as lawmakers navigate the session.
“It’s for communication, and without communication, there’s no potential for growth,” Gudger said.
Republicans remain frustrated over Democratic filibusters late in the 2025 session that blocked several local bills. GOP leaders say that experience is shaping how they plan to move legislation this year, including pushing local bills earlier in the session and revisiting how the Senate operates under its current rules.
Gudger said debate is an expected part of the legislative process and that his role is to manage those discussions without surprising lawmakers.
“The filibuster is a tool for both sides of the aisle,” Gudger said. “There will be times where we have heavy debate out here, and that is what this process is about. My job is not to surprise anybody when we come onto this floor.”
Democrats, who hold a minority in the Senate, acknowledge Republicans have a supermajority and the votes to change Senate rules if they choose. Still, Democratic leaders say they hope the session remains focused on broadly supported priorities rather than issues they believe could divide the chamber.
Sen. Merika Coleman of Birmingham said Democrats want to keep the focus on economic development and voting access.
“If we can stay focused on economic development, jobs, and making sure people have access to vote, we can have a good session,” Coleman said.
Coleman said Democrats are also drawing firm lines on legislation they believe could restrict voting rights or shift attention away from funding public services.
“When we get into things that divide us, that is when problems start,” Coleman said. “We want to stop things that take away voting rights and make sure schools and state employees are properly funded.”
Gudger, now entering his second year as Senate president pro tem, said lessons from last session have influenced how he approaches leadership.
“You’re in your own moment, and you hear that whisper come into your ear, and it’s the right thing, and you feel it in your soul, this is what you need to do,” Gudger said. “The key is to act on it then, and I’m trusting my gut more, and I think a lot of people in Alabama State Senate are doing the same thing, and so we’re blessed to have good people out here that represent their districts and doing the same thing.”
Lawmakers expect the pace of the session to increase in the coming days as committee work continues and more bills reach the Senate floor.
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