On Thursday, April 10 at 6 p.m., the Auburn University SGA Lobby Board hosted Alabama State House Representative Jeremy Gray from District 83. The discussion took place in Lowder Hall, with a focus on higher education, and specific questions related to Gray’s career in politics.
Lilli Midgette, sophomore in chemical engineering, is the director of governmental relations for the lobby board. Alongside her colleague, Winchester Bolton, the two guided the discussion with Gray and ran the meeting.
The lobby board at Auburn University aims to promote bi-partisan discussions and political awareness through guest speakers, debates and discussions. The organization began its meetings in September and plans to conclude its final meeting on April 17.
“The lobby board, for me, has been such a close-knit organization of people who care about issues," Midgette said. “Whether we have completely differing opinions, we’re still going to get dinner afterwards and be friends, and it's made me appreciate listening to people who have different opinions than me.”
Political topics the board currently focuses on vary from the national to the state level. Education budgeting is the primary issue for the board, but Midgette explained that all topics are important to the group.
The meeting began with an introduction of Gray, followed by a discussion of important events happening internationally, nationally and locally. The group had a designated member to explain the relevant news for each level.
Once the Q&A began, two members moderated with Gray and asked him what inspired him to pursue a career in politics. Gray explained that his path of becoming a representative felt like a late start.
“For me, I wasn't part of SGA or anything, it was more that after I finished my career I came back to my hometown and I got into some programs like the Opelika Chamber of Commerce,” Gray said. “Then I started to understand the dynamics of the city. I wanted to be a part of the solution and not the problem.”
When asked about what a day in the life of a state representative looks like, Gray explained that it depends on the amount of time and effort put in.
“It just depends. I would say that it doesn’t matter how much work you do, we all get paid the same, so you can do as much or little work as possible. I’ve been on both ends, where I’m trying to go to every thing and go to every event, and I just get burnt out,” Gray said. “This is 24/7, it is literally a full-time job plus overtime.”
Board members questioned Gray about the most rewarding and challenging aspects of working in politics and how to build relationships to influence policy. Gray explained that even though you can be the smartest person in the room or have all the information you need, but if people don’t like you, you can’t get things done. When it comes to the hardest part of his job, Gray mentioned how if you work in an overwhelmingly blue or red district, it can sometimes be hard to find common ground.
A specific accomplishment that Gray was asked about is the bill he passed ending the 28-year ban of yoga from Alabama K-12 schools. Gray mentions a visit he made to Auburn High School, where he learned about Tiger Break, a yoga program.
“To deny kids an opportunity to practice mindfulness and yoga with a high suicide rate among teenagers, a lot of bullying and social media, I thought it was a cool way for kids to be able to cope with stress and anxiety," Gray said. “The fight was less about yoga but an alternative for mental health.”
Although he found it somewhat silly, he mentions how important yoga’s therapeutic nature is for young children and the positive effects it can have.
Once the Q&A portion ended, the meeting switched to a flash debate surrounding a recent ban in Australia, which will prevent children under 16 from accessing social media. The different prompts also included requiring social media platforms to verify the ages of accounts and requiring a parent’s permission to create an account for a minor.
Many students agreed that social media is extremely harmful to minors and that there should be consent needed from parents for minors to create accounts. Some believed that the United States should follow Australia’s ban on social media, but believes it would be difficult to pass.
After the meeting, Gray shared his opinion surrounding the purpose of lobbying.
“The relationship between lobbyists and lawmakers is a unique situation. We don’t understand, as lawmakers, the different issues. The different lobbying groups do understand those issues, and when you come to us, we can regulate them or pass bills. We kind of have to know everything, you are experts on two or three things, so that relationship is important,” Gray said. “I don’t think a lot of legislation would be looked at with a keen eye or be very purpose-driven if it was just lawmakers coming up with things. It would be very individual based.”
Gray was not the only guest planned this year. Their Learn to Lobby Day, an event where Representative Leigh Hulsey, Gray, and Representative Joe Lovvorn were set to visit, was canceled due to severe winter weather. The organization was unable to reschedule the event, making Gray the main visitor for the year.
Midgette explained that each member is assigned a member of the Senate and the House of Representatives and given the opportunity to meet with their designated member. She believes that although the organization was not able to meet with many government officials as a group, the benefits are still felt through the independent meetings.
The final meeting of the SGA Lobby Board for the 2024-2025 academic year will be on April 17 at 6 p.m. and will resume in September.
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