Longtime Madison County legislator Tom Butler will announce his retirement from the Alabama State Senate on Tuesday.

Butler, 81, is currently serving his fourth term representing parts of Madison and Limestone counties. Butler was first elected to the State Senate in 1994 after serving in the House since 1982. He served in the Senate through 2010 before being elected again in 2018.

Road projects have been a priority during his time in the Legislature. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Butler played an instrumental role in helping bring the $92 million U.S. 72 widening project to his district, which is expected to get underway in the next couple of years. He has also championed four-laning Alabama 53 from Huntsville to the Tennessee state line.

Butler has also played an instrumental role in securing $7 million in funding for a replacement Saturn IB rocket at the Alabama welcome center in Ardmore, calling it “a positive iconic symbol” for the state in an interview with AL.com. He said it was a shame when the original was taken down.

The state is in the process of designing the replica and putting out a request for a proposal for the replacement.

Butler serves as chairman of the Senate’s Governmental Affairs Committee. He also serves on the finance and taxation, fiscal responsibility and economic development, transportation and energy, and health care committees.

He is vice chairman of the Madison County Senate delegation.

Butler is a retired pharmacist.