SJR80 Summary

• Honors Governor John Malcolm Patterson on his centennial year (born September 27, 1921).

• Recognizes Patterson's military service in World War II, rising to the rank of major and earning a Bronze Star in campaigns across North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Southern France, and Germany.

• Commends his service as Alabama's 36th Attorney General and as Governor (1959-1967), including his work on education funding ($100 million bond issue), highway construction ($60 million bond issue), and establishment of small-loan law to curtail loan sharks.

• Acknowledges his subsequent service as a judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals (1984), where he authored over 450 opinions, and his 2004 appointment as Special Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.

• Extends the Legislature's highest honor and commendation for his lifetime of service to Alabama and the country.