Alabama is a conservative state, and its citizens have never shied away from standing up for their values.

In Alabama, we have fundamental principles by which we live and govern.

We hold fast to our faith in God. We uphold the rule of law. We protect individual freedom and innocent lives. We are working to ensure a safe community for families. For these reasons, we have earned the distinction of being the most conservative Congress in the country.

These are priorities for the state of Alabama, and they are also priorities for Republicans in the Alabama Senate.

There is no greater priority than ensuring election integrity. Therefore, this House plans to resolve the issue of ballot collection when it convenes its regular session on February 6th. We want to make sure that absentee ballots are processed and counted in the correct manner.

Sen. Garland Gudger is introducing a bill that would be a Republican priority in the Alabama Senate. His bill would end the cottage industry of absentee ballot harvesting in our elections.

Voting is a fundamental right of democracy, and we must ensure that legitimate votes are not diluted by fraudulent votes. That's why we need stricter laws to prevent the unscrupulous pursuit of absentee ballots for financial gain.

Although the legal use of absentee voting remains entirely optional, and there is current federal law that outlines certain protections for veterans and people with certain disabilities, our law does not affect I don't. The main goal of these efforts is to ensure your vote is counted and those who try to game the system are held accountable. We want Alabama's election laws to be among the strongest in the nation.

The time has come for influential school choice in Alabama, too. Sens. Arthur Orr and Larry Stutz have spent significant time studying the issue, examining the state's education budget, in order to empower Alabama families to make decisions about their children's education. I'm here.

Children are a gift from God and the future of our great nation.

It is important for us as legislators to allocate resources in a fiscally responsible manner to ensure that the children in our community have every opportunity to succeed. A family's ZIP code should not be the primary indicator of a child's educational success, and we are committed to empowering Alabama families to make decisions about their children's schooling.

It is becoming increasingly clear that unexpected property tax increases are burdening Alabama families and businesses. Senator David Sessions has done a lot of work to solve this problem.

Inflation has debilitated many families under President Joe Biden's administration, and an unexpected property tax increase will only further harm Alabamians' ability to maintain their current quality of life. Senator Sessions is working hard to develop a plan that would place certain limits on how much local governments can raise property taxes.

Alabama families work hard every day to provide for their families, and we are committed to continuing to provide them with ways to keep their hard-earned money.

The Alabama Senate is committed to conservative governance. Alabama families and future generations deserve nothing less. Alabama is the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family, and I'm excited to help advance these impactful bills.

Greg Reed is the President Pro Tempore of the Alabama State Senate and represents the residents of District 5.