Shay Shelnutt
Shay W. Shelnutt | |
Alabama State Senator
for District 17 (Blount, Calhoun, Jefferson, and St. Clair counties) | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office November 5, 2014 | |
Preceded by | Scott Beason |
---|---|
Born | September 21, 1967 Birmingham Jefferson County Alabama |
Citizenship | American |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Paige Harwell Shelnutt |
Children | Two daughters |
Residence | Palmerdale Jefferson County Alabama; some sources say Trusville. |
Alma mater | Pinson Valley High School University of Montevallo |
Occupation | Businessman |
Religion | United Methodist |
Shay W. Shelnutt (born September 21, 1967) is a real estate agent from Palmerdale in Jefferson County, Alabama, who has since 2014 represented District 17 in the Alabama State Senate. A Republican, his district encompasses Blount, Calhoun, Jefferson, and St. Clair counties in the north central portion of his state;
Shelnutt graduated from Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, a suburb of his native Birmingham, Alabama. He obtained a bachelor's degree in business finance and a master's in mathematics education from the University of Montevallo in Montevallo in Shelby County. He is a former teacher and coach at Clay-Chalkville High School in Jefferson County. He and his wife, the former Paige Harwell, have two daughters. He is a United Methodist.[1][2]
In the Republican primary runoff election for the state Senate held on July 15, 2014, Shelnutt defeated his remaining intra-party rival, Brett King. The incumbent Republican, Scott Beason (born 1969), did not seek a third term in the state Senate but instead ran unsuccessfully for nomination to the United States House of Representatives. Shelnutt was then unchallenged in the November 4 general election.[2][3]
Shelnutt sits on these Senate committees: (1) Banking and Insurance, (2) Confirmations, (3) Education and Youth Affairs, (4) Governmental Affairs, and (5) Local Legislation for Jefferson County.[1]
In 2015, Senator Shelnutt voted to establish public charter schools in Alabama. He voted to require couples who marry to sign a marriage contract, rather than to obtain a marriage license. He co-sponsored any attempt to expand Medicaid in his state. He was one of thirteen senators to vote against the increase in the cigarette tax, which gained majority approval. In 2016, he voted to prohibit the removal of monuments from public property, a measure that passed the Senate, 22-9. He co-sponsored the bill to prohibit dilation abortions in Alabama and to prevent abortion providers from locating their facilities near schools. He voted to permit concealed handguns to be carried in vehicles without a permit. He did not vote on the establishment of a state lottery, which passed the Senate 21-12. Nor did he vote on the permit for Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham to establish its own police force. He voted for the bill which prohibits employers in Alabama from inquiring about past criminal histories of job applicants. He voted to permit the use of nitrogen in carrying out death penalty executions.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shay Shelnutt's Biography. Retrieved on October 19, 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Shay Shellnut. Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on October 19, 2017.
- ↑ Scott Beason. Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on October 19, 2017.
- ↑ Shay Shelnutt's Voting Records. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on October 19, 2017.