Matt Simpson (Alabama politician)
{{Short description|Alabama House representative}}
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.{{Cite web|title=Matt Simpson|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Matt_Simpson|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}} He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and education
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.{{Cite web|title=State Representative Matt Simpson|url=https://baldwincountyal.gov/government/legislative-delegation/state-representative-matt-simpson|access-date=2022-01-27|website=BCC|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Matt Simpson|url=https://www.davis-fields.com/attorneys/matthew-simpson/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Davis & Fields, P.C.|language=en-US}}
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. He currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in Mobile County.{{Cite web |last=Whitmire |first=Kyle |date=2024-04-12 |title=Alabama lawmaker wants to rewrite ethics law he wasn't following |url=https://www.al.com/news/2024/04/whitmire-alabama-lawmaker-wants-to-rewrite-ethics-law-he-wasnt-following.html |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=al |language=en}}
Simpson previously served as chairman of the Baldwin County Republican Party and of the Baldwin County Young Republicans.{{Cite web|date=2011-04-25|title=Matt Simpson|url=https://algop.org/matt-simpson/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Alabama Republican Party|language=en-US}} Simpson has served on the Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee and is the current ALGOP Vice-Chairman for Congressional District 1.{{Cite web|title=Leadership|url=https://algop.org/our-party/leadership/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Alabama Republican Party|language=en-US}}
Political career
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.{{Cite web |title=Alabama Legislature |url=https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/house-leaders-members?tab=1 |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=alison.legislature.state.al.us}} 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.{{Cite web|title=State Representative Matt Simpson Elected As Freshman Representative Of The Alabama House Republican Caucus|url=https://alhousegop.org/updates/state-representative-wes-kitchens-elected-as-vice-chair-of-the-alabama-house-republican-caucus-2/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Alabama House Republican Caucus|language=en-US}}
In 2021, Representative Simpson was named as Chairman of the Baldwin County Legislation Committee.{{Cite web|last=Brandon Moseley|date=2021-07-20|title=Rep. Matt Simpson new chair of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation|url=https://www.alreporter.com/2021/07/20/rep-matt-simpson-new-chair-of-the-baldwin-county-legislative-delegation/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Alabama Political Reporter|language=en-US}} In 2022, he was elected as Caucus Freshman Representative for the Alabama House Republican Caucus.
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.
Key issues and legislation
= Marijuana =
Matt Simpson has an "F" rating from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes.https://vote.norml.org/politicians/180610
= Mental health =
Simpson sponsored and passed legislation{{Cite web|title=Legislative Acts {{!}} Alabama Secretary of State|url=https://arc-sos.state.al.us/cgi/actdetail.mbr/detail?year=2021&act=%20154&page=author|access-date=2022-01-28|website=arc-sos.state.al.us}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Baldwin County creating mental health court after Gov. Ivey signs bill into law|url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/baldwin_county/baldwin-county-creating-mental-health-court-after-gov-ivey-signs-bill-into-law/article_82799b98-98d1-11eb-b56e-03a5ffe1fda0.html|access-date=2022-01-27|website=FOX10 News|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Pounds|first=Emily|date=2021-08-03|title=Mental health court-approved, Baldwin Court will be the 1st one south of Montgomery|url=https://mynbc15.com/news/local/6p-p-baldwin-mental-health-court|access-date=2022-01-27|website=WPMI}} He has also sponsored legislation that would cover the costs of treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for first responders.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-02|title=Alabama lawmakers introduce bill to cover costs for first responders with PTSD|url=https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/bill-introduced-to-provide-ptsd-related-coverage-to-first-responders/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=CBS 42|language=en-US}}
= Public safety =
Simpson sponsored and passed legislation to create the Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act,{{Cite web|title=Alabama HB27 {{!}} 2021 {{!}} Regular Session|url=https://legiscan.com/AL/bill/HB27/2021|access-date=2022-01-28|website=LegiScan|language=en}} which created the crime of aggravated home repair fraud.{{Cite web|title=Governor Ivey to host ceremonial bill signing|url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/alabama/governor-ivey-to-host-ceremonial-bill-signing/article_b802db2e-d4f6-11eb-be3a-271b315d9489.html|access-date=2022-01-28|website=FOX10 News|language=en}} He also sponsored legislation that makes possessing a stolen firearm a Class C felony in Alabama{{Cite web|title=Governor to sign House Bill 375 into law this Thursday|url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/governor-to-sign-house-bill-375-into-law-this-thursday/article_8abc6732-a35e-11e9-bb5b-bfb99fa86847.html|access-date=2022-01-28|website=FOX10 News|language=en}} and legislation that added enhanced sentences for people convicted of child sex abuse.{{Cite web|title=HB 237 - Alabama House (2019rs) - Open States|url=https://openstates.org/al/bills/2019rs/HB237/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=openstates.org}}
= Ethics reform =
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.{{Cite web |last=Cason |first=Mike |date=2024-04-02 |title=Alabama House passes bill to repeal, replace state ethics law |url=https://www.al.com/news/2024/04/alabama-house-passes-bill-to-repeal-replace-state-ethics-law.html |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=al |language=en}} Simpson's bill passed the Alabama House with bipartisan support but failed to make it out of committee in the Alabama Senate.{{Cite web |last=Chapoco |first=Ralph |date=2024-05-08 |title=Legislation to change Alabama ethics law dies in committee • Alabama Reflector |url=https://alabamareflector.com/2024/05/08/legislation-to-change-alabama-ethics-law-dies-in-committee/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Alabama Reflector |language=en-US}}
= Death Penalty =
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.{{cite news|url=https://1819news.com/news/item/state-rep-simpson-pre-files-bill-allowing-death-penalty-for-child-rape-sodomy|title=State Rep. Simpson pre-files bill allowing death penalty for child rape, sodomy|author=Erica Thomas|date=6 October 2024|work=1819news.com|access-date=9 October 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://aldailynews.com/the-death-penalty-is-not-used-enough-alabama-lawmaker-pushes-for-death-sentence-for-child-rapists/|title=The death penalty is not used enough;' Alabama lawmaker pushes for death sentence for child rapists|author=Alexander Willis|date=8 October 2024|work=aldailynews.com|access-date=9 October 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://mynbc15.com/news/local/alabama-bill-would-make-certain-rape-cases-eligible-for-the-death-penalty|title=Alabama bill would make certain rape cases eligible for the death penalty|author=Brad Gunther|date=8 October 2024|work=mynbc15.com|access-date=9 October 2024}}
On February 5 2025, The Alabama House Judiciary Committee approved the proposed legislation.{{Cite news |date=February 5, 2025 |title=Alabama House committee approves bill imposing death penalty for child sexual assault |url=https://alabamareflector.com/2025/02/05/alabama-house-committee-approves-bill-imposing-death-penalty-for-child-sexual-assault/|access-date=February 8, 2025 |work=}}{{Cite news |date=February 5, 2025 |title=House committee approves Simpson bill permitting the death penalty for child rape, sodomy |url=https://1819news.com/news/item/house-committee-approves-simpson-bill-permitting-the-death-penalty-for-child-rape-sodomy|access-date=February 8, 2025 |work=}} On February 11 2025, The Alabama House of Representatives passed the bill with a 86-5 vote, with nine abstentions.{{Cite news |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Alabama House passes bill expanding death penalty to child sexual assault|url=https://alabamareflector.com/2025/02/11/alabama-house-passes-bill-expanding-death-penalty-to-child-sexual-assault/|access-date=February 12, 2025 |work=}}{{Cite news |date=February 11, 2025 |title=Alabama seeks to join states that allow the death penalty for child rape|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/alabama-seeks-join-states-allow-000639174.html|access-date=February 12, 2025 |work=}}