J. T. Waggoner
James Thomas "Jabo" Waggoner Jr. is an American politician who is a Republican member of the Alabama Senate, representing the 16th District since 1990. He received his B.A. from Birmingham Southern College and his J.D. from the Birmingham School of Law.
Career
He assumed office in the Alabama State Senate in 1990. He was the Minority Leader from 1999 until the Republicans gained a legislative majority in November 2010 for the first time since Reconstruction, upon which he became the Majority Leader. He was a Democrat and a member of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1966 to 1983. He switched parties the following year to run unsuccessfully against U.S. Congressman Ben Erdreich in the Birmingham-based 6th district in 1984, receiving 40%.In May 2019, he voted to make abortion a crime at any stage of a pregnancy, with no exemptions for cases of rape or incest.
In the State Legislature's 2021-2022 session, Waggoner was assigned to the following committees:
- Legislative Committee on Public Accounts
- Transportation Committee
- Banking and Insurance Committee
- Confirmations Committee, Vice Chair
- Finance and Taxation Education Committee
- Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee
- Local Legislation Jefferson County Committee, Chair
- Local Legislation Shelby County Committee
- Senate Rules Committee, Chair