A Republican women’s group says Gov. Kay Ivey rescinded an invitation to the governor’s mansion after the group advanced a resolution opposing a bill that would give the governor’s office more control over the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ann Eubank of Hoover, a longtime member of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women, said the group got a call from the governor’s office during its meeting in Montgomery on Wednesday. She said the governor’s office asked the AFRW to remove the resolution from its agenda.

Eubank said the AFRW declined to do so.

“An hour later, someone from the governor’s office called and rescinded the invitation for us to go to the mansion for a little reception and a picture-taking opportunity,” Eubank said. “They never said it was rescinded because of that. But an hour later, within the hour – you can add one and one and that comes out two.”

Gina Maiola, communications director for Ivey, did not respond directly to a request for comment about what happened but noted the support of the veterans groups for the amended bill.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth posted on X that he was glad to host the AFRW for a reception after the “group’s original venue fell through.”

Senate Bill 67 by Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, would make the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs an appointee of the governor and member of her cabinet, instead of being appointed by the State Board of Veterans Affairs (SBVA). Gov. Ivey has said the bill is a priority because she said it can improve the agency’s operations and services for veterans.

Some veterans’ groups initially opposed or expressed concerns about the bill. Jones said the bill was changed in response to those concerns.

The governor’s office announced on Tuesday that the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, American Veterans (AMVETS) endorsed the amended bill.

“We appreciate the governor, Senator Jones, Representative (Ed) Oliver and others who have worked with us to ensure this bill helps the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and the Board best serve the state’s veterans. We are proud to support SB67,” the three organizations said in a statement.”

The bill passed the Senate and is in position to get final passage in the House as early as next week.

The resolution passed by the Alabama Federation of Republican Women ” urges the governor and legislators of our state to oppose any legislation causing the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to report directly to anyone other than the SBVA.”

Eubank said the resolution had strong support.

“There were probably 150 or more Republican women in the room,” Eubank said. “It passed overwhelmingly. Only 18 people voted against the resolution to not support the governor’s bill.”

Eubank said the governor’s response to the AFRW’s resolution was not well received.

“The Republican women are not very happy about being treated that way,” Eubank said. “How many Republican women do we have in the state of Alabama? She’s a lame duck governor, so what does it matter to her? But it matters to us.”

Tiffany Noel, president of the AFRW’s executive board, declined comment on what happened with the resolution and the invitation from the governor.