| Stephen Wilcox Hurst is an American politician who has served as a Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives for District 35 since 1998. Born around 1948, he represents parts of Calhoun, Clay, and Talladega counties in Alabama. Before joining the Republican Party in 2010, Hurst served as a Democrat for his first terms in office. His political career began earlier as a Talladega County Commissioner, a position he held from 1984 to 1992.
Hurst graduated from Talladega High School and later built a career as both a businessman and an employee of Georgia Pacific Corporation. As an entrepreneur, he owns Atlas Fence LLC, a company he established in 1989, and Haynes Street Pawn & Gun, which he has operated since 2011. These business ventures have given him experience in both the construction and retail sectors while serving in the legislature.
In the Alabama House of Representatives, Hurst has taken on several committee responsibilities. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee and is a member of the County and Municipal Government Committee and the Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Confidentiality Issues Involving Complaints Filed with the State Ethics Commission and the Joint Legislative Committee on State Parks.
Throughout his legislative career, Hurst has sponsored several notable bills. In 2019, he introduced legislation requiring chemical castration for sex offenders who committed crimes against children under 13 years old as a condition for parole. The bill was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey in June 2019, making Alabama the seventh state to implement such a measure. Hurst had previously attempted to pass similar legislation multiple times since 2006, initially advocating for surgical rather than chemical castration. When questioned about the ethics of such punishment, Hurst defended the measure by stating that "the punishment should fit the crime" for those who harm children.
In the 2022 election cycle, Hurst ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and the general election, winning with 98.7% of the vote against write-in candidates. His current term will end on November 4, 2026. Throughout his tenure, Hurst has maintained strong support in his district, consistently winning re-election with significant margins.
In his personal life, Hurst is married to Linda Hurst, and they have three children- Michael, Kenneth, and Vance. He resides in Munford, Alabama, where he maintains his district office. Beyond his political and business activities, Hurst is active in his community as a member of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce and the Talladega County Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of Munford Baptist Church and participates in the "Who So Ever Will Bible Study Class".
In 2022, Hurst received an endorsement from the Alabama Forestry Association for his re-election campaign, highlighting his work on the Agriculture and Forestry Committee. His long tenure in the Alabama House of Representatives, spanning over two decades, makes him one of the more experienced legislators in the state assembly. |