Bryan Taylor (politician)

Bryan McDaniel Taylor (born March 2, 1976) is an American lawyer, an Iraq War veteran, and a prominent figure in Alabama politics. Before serving in the Alabama Senate (2010-2014), Taylor served as policy director and counsel to Gov. Bob Riley (2006-2010). Prior to joining the Riley Administration, Taylor served four years on active duty as an Army judge advocate, including a combat tour in Iraq. Currently, Taylor is general counsel for the Alabama Department of Finance, the cabinet-level agency responsible for the state's fiscal management and overall administration.

Taylor, a Republican, is a former member of the Alabama Senate. In the historic 2010 election cycle that saw the Republicans in Alabama win control of the State Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction, Taylor swept into office by a 14-point margin over the seven-term incumbent, Wendell Mitchell (D-Luverne), becoming the first Republican ever to represent the 30th District .Taylor is best known as the architect of ethics reform in Alabama. As a freshman, Taylor personally wrote, sponsored or co-sponsored, and helped steer through the Legislature a historic package of bills strengthening Alabama's governmental ethics laws. The package included bills restricting gifts and spending on public officials by lobbyists and their clients; banning double dipping by state legislators; banning financial transfers between political action committees (a practice used to obscure the original source of campaign contributions); mandating ethics training for lobbyists and public officials; giving subpoena power to the state Ethics Commission; banning so-called "pass-through pork;" and outlawing taxpayer-funded payroll deductions for political organizations and political activity. Each of the measures passed and was signed into law by Gov. Bob Riley on December 21, 2010.

An outspoken advocate for legislative term limits, Taylor decided not to run for re-election in 2014. He is succeeded by Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville, Ala.).