August 2019 Group Watch: News & Views from the State House
Movers and shakers in Alabama politics are moving and shaking this month, with announcements, appointments and promotions topping the headlines.
- Head of Alabama Office of Apprenticeship Announced: Josh Laney has been named Director of the newly established Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. Laney, who previously served as Senior Director of Workforce Development for the Alabama Department of Education, will head the office created earlier this year by a bill sponsored by State Senator Arthur Orr. Laney’s duties include working with industry and education to develop and expand traditional and industry-recognized apprenticeships for youth and adults. He will lead the office’s support of larger workforce development infrastructure to produce workers with credentialed expertise and focus on growing the state’s registered apprenticeship programs.
- Gov. Ivey Names William Filmore to Top Legislative Post: The governor’s office confirmed the promotion of William Filmore to lead the Office of Legislative Affairs, the lead conduit between the governor and the Alabama Legislature. Filmore replaces Jared White, who recently left to take a position managing governmental affairs for Auburn University. He has served in state government since 2015, starting as Governmental Relations Coordinator at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency before joining Gov. Ivey in 2017. He previously worked as the governor’s House Liaison and Director of Local Governmental Affairs.
- Montgomery Attorney Tapped for Federal Judge Vacancy: Montgomery attorney Jerusha Adams has been tapped to fill a federal judge vacancy in the Middle District of Alabama. Adams will replace Judge Gray Borden, who has been selected as a magistrate judge in the Northern District. Adams is a civil litigator at Montgomery’s Capell & Howard law firm. She previously clerked for several federal judges, including current U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins and retired Judge Vanzetta McPherson. Her appointment to the position is pending an FBI background investigatio
