Tim Melson
Member of the Alabama Senate
from the 1st district
Assumed office
November 5, 2014
Preceded byTammy Irons
Personal details
Born
Timothy Ivan Melson

1959/1960
Alabama, U.S.
Spouse
Lynn Melson
​
(m. 1980)​
Children3
Residence(s)Florence, Alabama, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of North Alabama (BS)
University of Alabama at Birmingham (MD)
ProfessionPhysician

Timothy Ivan Melson (born 1959 or 1960)[1][2] is an American politician and physician. A member of the Republican Party, he serves in the Alabama State Senate, representing its 1st district since 2014.[3][4]

Early life and career

Melson was born and raised in Alabama,[5] and grew up in Florence, Alabama.[6] He is a graduate of the University of North Alabama, where he attained a Bachelor of Science in professional biology and general chemistry in 1982.[2] After graduation, he attended medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, from which he received his MD.[6]

Melson practiced medicine as an anesthesiologist at Helen Keller Hospital in Florence. He was the chief of anesthesia there from 1993 to 2008, in addition to serving on the board of directors at the Florence Surgery Center.[6] Melson retired from anesthesiology after a medical emergency which he described as a "close call"; Melson was suffering from liver failure and required a liver transplant and a heart transplant. Melson received a "life-saving"[7] operation in 2009[8] from a doctor in Pittsburgh who predicted that a new liver would also resolve his heart issues.[9] After his retirement from general practice, Melson became the owner of Shoals Medical Trials, a medical business working in clinical trials.[9]

Alabama Senate

In 2014, Democratic state senator Tammy Irons retired, leaving the first district open in that year's election cycle. Melson announced his candidacy for the state senate in March 2014, saying he would focus on economic and workforce development, as well as improving health care access and quality in Alabama. He described the Affordable Care Act as a "disaster" and a "federal government takeover of health care".[6] The Republican primary advanced to a runoff between Melson and Chris Seibert, a city councilman from Athens, Alabama. Melson defeated Seibert in the runoff, in which he strongly carried Lauderdale County.[1] Melson defeated Democratic nominee Mike Curtis in the general election with 62% of the vote.[4]

During his first term as state senator, Melson voted against a gaming bill in the Tourism Committee in August 2015.[10] In 2018, he sponsored a bill clarifying that 18-year-olds could be committed to psychiatric facilities by probate judges when entering insanity pleas.[11] He also contributed to the expansion of U.S. Route 43 in north Alabama.[12] Melson was re-elected to a second term in office in 2018 against Democratic nominee Caroline Self, with Melson receiving 68% of the vote.[13] During his reelection campaign, Melson described himself as someone who would continue to "uphold conservative ideals", including anti-abortion measures and pro-gun and Second Amendment protections.[12]

Melson was the author of a bill successfully legalizing medical cannabis in Alabama, having first introduced it in 2019. Melson said that the bill was designed to help people at the end of their life, though he still opposed recreational use of marijuana.[14] Although the medical cannabis bill was opposed by Steve Marshall, the Attorney General of Alabama,[15] it eventually passed in the Alabama Legislature in May 2021.[16] The bill was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey the same month.[17] The law also established the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, which regulates licenses to distributors of medical cannabis, though it has encountered various lawsuits since its founding.[8]

Melson was reelected to a third term as state senator in the 2022 election cycle. In the Republican primary, Melson was challenged by John Sutherland, who had previously sued the Lauderdale County Agricultural Authority, of which Melson was the chairman.[18] Melson defeated Sutherland in the primary with 69% of the vote,[19] and was uncontested in the general election, with no Democratic candidate qualifying for the race.[20] As of 2023, Melson served as the chair of the state senate's Health Care Committee.[21]

Personal life

Melson has been married to his wife Lynn since 1980.[6][12] As of 2017, they had three children and four grandchildren. Melson is a farmer and hobbyist cattleman,[12] and is a member of the National Rifle Association of America.[6]

While on a business recruiting trip to South Korea in July 2023, Melson suffered a major cardiac emergency. His daughter, Ellie Melson, said that he had suffered cardiac arrest and was in critical condition. John Wahl, the chair of the Alabama Republican Party, said that Melson had suffered a heart attack, which can result in cardiac arrest.[21] Fellow state senator Arthur Orr was on the trip with Melson and administered CPR.[7] Melson was hospitalized in South Korea for two weeks; he returned home to Alabama on August 14, 2023, to continue his recovery.[22][23]

References

  1. 1 2 Kazek, Kelly (July 16, 2014). "Melson defeats Seibert in runoff for Alabama Senate District 1; will face Curtis Nov. 4". AL.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Eubanks, Michelle (July 10, 2019). "UNA Announces 2019 Homecoming Award Recipients". University of North Alabama Media and Public Relations. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ Kazek, Kelly (October 27, 2014). "5 questions for Mike Curtis and Tim Melson, candidates for Alabama's Senate District 1". AL.com. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  4. 1 2 Kazek, Kelly (November 4, 2014). "Republican Tim Melson wins Alabama Senate District 1 seat". AL.com. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Limestone County prefers Melson, Butler". The News Courier. November 6, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Melson seeking District 1 state senate seat". The News Courier. March 5, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  7. 1 2 McLaughlin, Bud (July 28, 2023). "State Sen. Melson has heart attack in S. Korea". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Holmes, Jacob (28 July 2023). "Report: State Sen. Tim Melson in critical condition after heart attack". July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Cole, Jean (July 4, 2014). "Close call informs Melson's politics". The News Courier. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  10. ↑ Britt, Susan (August 5, 2015). "Gaming Bill Passes Senate Committee". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  11. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (March 5, 2018). "Senate Health Committee approves bill to clarify law on committing 18 year olds". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Simmons, Chris (October 19, 2017). "State Senator Tim Melson Announces Bid For Second Term". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  13. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (November 7, 2018). "Alabama Senate Republicans hold onto commanding super majority". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  14. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (September 10, 2019). "Marijuana Study Commission considers tough medical marijuana bill". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  15. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (January 9, 2020). "Marshall opposes medical marijuana bill". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  16. ↑ Moseley, Brandon (May 7, 2021). "Legislature sends medical marijuana bill to governor". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  17. ↑ Cason, Mike (May 18, 2021). "Gov. Ivey Signs Alabama's Medical Marijuana Bill". AL.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  18. ↑ Delinski, Bernie (August 27, 2020). "Group sues over Lauderdale ag center, says funding is unconstitutional". WAFF-48. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  19. ↑ Smith, Dylan (May 31, 2023). "Alabama Senate GOP Caucus dominates primary elections, sets sights on November". Yellowhammer News. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022.
  20. ↑ Hester, Zach (September 30, 2022). "Uncontested races for the November 8, 2022 general election". WHNT-19. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  21. 1 2 Stephenson, Jemma (July 28, 2023). "Alabama State Sen. Tim Melson in critical condition after being resuscitated in South Korea". Alabama Reflector. AL.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  22. ↑ Monger, Craig (August 15, 2023). "State Sen. Tim Melson back in Alabama after suffering heart attack in Korea". 1819 News. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  23. ↑ Gray, Jeremy (August 6, 2023). "Alabama State Sen. Tim Melson plans return home after cardiac arrest in South Korea". AL.com. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
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