A state senator who proposed cutting funding to the Alabama Department of Archives and History because it hosted a lecture on gay history wants to change the Board of Trustees that governs the agency.

Sen. Chris Elliott, a Republican from Mobile County, is sponsoring a bill that would remove the current board members and replace them with appointees of the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the Alabama House, and president pro tempore of the state Senate, offices all held by Republicans.

Elliott said his main concern is that under current law, the trustees appoint their own successors.

“Currently, it’s a self-perpetuating board, where the board selects essentially its replacement members,” Elliott said. “And I think that in general state agencies and boards need to be more responsive to the people and to the elected officials that the people elect. So, that’s essentially what this does, very simply, is say that like many other boards throughout the state that the members will be selected by and appointed by elected officials.”

Under the current law, there are two board members for each Alabama’s seven congressional districts, plus two at-large members. The governor serves as an ex-officio member. The board appoints members to fill vacancies, and those are subject to confirmation of the state Senate. Board members are not paid except for reimbursement of expenses related to board business.

In July, Elliott proposed a bill to take $5 million in state funding from Archives and History. Elliott said he wanted to send a message to the agency after he other state lawmakers objected to a program called “Invisible No More: Alabama’s LGBTQ History,” which Archives and History presented in June as part of its Food For Thought series.

The bill, which Elliott introduced during a special session on redistricting, did not come up for a vote.

Elliott said Wednesday that the decision by Archives and History to proceed with the program after lawmakers objected was an example of not being responsive to elected officials.

“The underlying issue is that board felt like it didn’t need to respond or accommodate or listen to the concerns of the Alabama Legislature,” Elliott said. “So, here we are in a situation saying, ‘Gosh, they’re not listening. What’s the answer?’ And the answer is they don’t have to because they’re a self-perpetuating board. And you have to ask from a public policy standpoint, is that a good idea?

“And I think the answer to that is no. They need to be responsible to the people through their elected representatives. And whether those are Republicans or Democrats or independents, or whatever, they need to be responsive to the people.”

During that disagreement last summer over the LGBTQ program, Archives and History released a letter from agency Director Steve Murray explaining the decision to proceed with program despite the opposition from some legislators.

Murray wrote that he spoke with nine legislators on June 14, one day before the program was held. Murray wrote that he respected the authority and responsibility of the Legislature to appropriate state funds. But he said the lecture was appropriate under Archives and History’s mandate as spelled out in state law, including “the diffusion of knowledge in reference to the history and resources of the state.”

On Wednesday, in response to questions about Elliott’s new bill, Murray issued a statement.

“In 1901, the Alabama Legislature created the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) and charged its governing Board of Trustees with selecting board members from each congressional district, subject to confirmation by the State Senate,” Murray said. “In the years since, this statutory provision has limited direct political pressure on the operations of the ADAH while also providing accountability to elected officials through the confirmation process in the Senate. The result has been agency stability with professional and non-partisan administration of the historical materials that document Alabama’s past, including the foundational government records that guarantee the rights of Alabamians.

“As currently composed, the Board of Trustees consists of two members from each congressional district, two at-large members, and the Governor or her designee. Demographically, not counting the ex officio Governor, the members are 73 percent white, 27 percent African American, 47 percent male, and 53 percent female. The trustees have diverse backgrounds and political persuasions. The characteristics most in common among them are an interest in history, a commitment to public service, and a belief in the mission of the ADAH as a place of stewardship and education. Every member of the Board has received Senate confirmation, and eleven members have been confirmed multiple times.

“The ADAH respectfully encourages the Legislature to retain the governance structure that, for almost 125 years, has made possible the agency’s legacy of service, integrity, and commitment to ensuring that Alabama’s history is preserved for future generations.”