Matt Simpson is an American politician currently serving in his first term in the Alabama House of Representatives for House District 96, which he was elected to in November 2018.[1]

Early life and education

Simpson was born and raised in Mobile, where he attended Murphy High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in criminal justice from the University of Alabama and has a Juris Doctor degree from Samford University Cumberland School of Law, where he served on the Student Honor Board and was a member of the National Mock Trial Team.[2][3]

For 12 years, Simpson had a career as a prosecutor for the Mobile County District Attorney's Office and as child victims prosecutor for the Baldwin County District Attorney's Office.[2] He currently works a civil litigator in Daphne, Alabama.[3]

Simpson previously served as chairman of the Baldwin County Republican Party and of the Baldwin County Young Republicans.[4] Simpson has served on the Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee and is the current ALGOP Vice-Chairman for Congressional District 1.[5]

Political career

Simpson is a member of several legislative committees, including the Judiciary Committee; the Ethics and Campaign Finance Committee; the Commerce and Small Business Committee; the Sunset Committee; the Mobile County Legislation Committee and the Baldwin County Legislation Committee.[6] He serves as Vice Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee for Aerospace and Defense and is a member of the Joint Legislative Committee for Mental Health.[7]

In 2021, Representative Simpson was named as Chairman of the Baldwin County Legislation Committee.[8] In 2022, he was elected as Caucus Freshman Representative for the Alabama House Republican Caucus.[7]

Key issues and legislation

Mental health

Simpson sponsored and passed legislation[9] that funded and created the Baldwin County Mental Health Court, a diversionary court program that places people with mental illnesses into treatment programs in lieu of jail time and secured a $100,000 grant to hasten the program's implementation.[10][11] He has also sponsored legislation that would cover the costs of treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for first responders.[12]

Public safety

Simpson sponsored and passed legislation to create the Alabama State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act,[13] which created the crime of aggravated home repair fraud.[14] He also sponsored legislation that makes possessing a stolen firearm a Class C felony in Alabama[15] and legislation that added enhanced sentences for people convicted of child sex abuse.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Matt Simpson". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  2. 1 2 "State Representative Matt Simpson". BCC. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  3. 1 2 "Matt Simpson". Davis & Fields, P.C. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  4. ↑ "Matt Simpson". Alabama Republican Party. 2011-04-25. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  5. ↑ "Leadership". Alabama Republican Party. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  6. ↑ "Alabama Legislature". alison.legislature.state.al.us. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  7. 1 2 "State Representative Matt Simpson Elected As Freshman Representative Of The Alabama House Republican Caucus". Alabama House Republican Caucus. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  8. ↑ Brandon Moseley (2021-07-20). "Rep. Matt Simpson new chair of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  9. ↑ "Legislative Acts | Alabama Secretary of State". arc-sos.state.al.us. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  10. ↑ "Baldwin County creating mental health court after Gov. Ivey signs bill into law". FOX10 News. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  11. ↑ Pounds, Emily (2021-08-03). "Mental health court-approved, Baldwin Court will be the 1st one south of Montgomery". WPMI. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  12. ↑ "Alabama lawmakers introduce bill to cover costs for first responders with PTSD". CBS 42. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  13. ↑ "Alabama HB27 | 2021 | Regular Session". LegiScan. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  14. ↑ "Governor Ivey to host ceremonial bill signing". FOX10 News. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  15. ↑ "Governor to sign House Bill 375 into law this Thursday". FOX10 News. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  16. ↑ "HB 237 - Alabama House (2019rs) - Open States". openstates.org. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
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