All revenue-raising matters must originate in the Alabama House, just as in the Congress of the United States. The House must have a quorum to conduct business, and a majority of a quorum can pass any bill except a constitutional amendment, which requires a three-fifths vote of all those elected. An appropriation to a non-government organization, such as a private college, requires a two-thirds vote of those elected. In order to be a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, one must be a minimum of 21 years of age.
Membership
The Alabama House of Representatives is composed of 105 members, chosen from an equal number of districts across the state. Each member represents a district of approximately 42,000 people, and is elected to a four-year term. Members of the House at the time of their election must have been citizens of Alabama for three years, and have lived in their respective districts for at least one year immediately preceding their election. The Speaker of the House is a member of the body and is elected by his colleagues to serve as its presiding officer. Members of the House are paid a salary of ten dollars per day, plus expenses other than travel in an amount fixed by joint resolution of the legislature.
Leadership
The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. In addition to presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position and controls the flow of legislation and committee assignments. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the chamber.
Throughout most of the state's history, the Democratic Party has held the majority in the Alabama House of Representatives except for a few brief exceptions. The Whig Party controlled the lower house in 1819 and again in 1821-23 and for the last time in 1837-1838. After the Civil War, Republicans held the majority during the Reconstruction period from 1868-1870 and again from 1872-1874. This was followed by 136 years of Democratic control ending in November, 2010. Beginning with the 2010 General Election Republicans swept to a large majority and have increased it in the succeeding elections in 2014 and 2018. Among the House's historical first were the election of its first African-American members in 1868 when 27 black Republicans were elected. The House also elected its first female member in 1922 with the election of Hattie Hooker Wilkins of Dallas County who would serve a single four year term.
