George C. Wallace understood in 1947 that if there were going to be a new university-based school of nursing established at a state-supported university in Alabama, there had to be state legislation enacted to create it, and state funds appropriated to support it. Then newly elected state representative from Clayton, Alabama, he responded to nurses’ efforts to get a new collegiate school of nursing established by introducing House Bill 619 into the Alabama Legislature. That bill proposed to establish a new school of nursing at The University of Alabama. When the 1947 legislative session ended, the Wallace bill had not passed, but instead, the legislature had authorized a $50,000 appropriation to a Birmingham diploma school of nursing. An editorial in The Alabama Nurse published by the Alabama State Nurses’ Association in January 1948 stated, “It [the Wallace bill] was defeated in this session. Alabama nurses, their friends, and parents of future Alabama nurses will see that it passes in the next session.” In 1949, George Wallace originated one of two bills introduced into the House of Representatives to create a state-supported collegiate school of nursing. Moreover, the bill that ultimately passed, Senate Bill 578, bore a great resemblance to the original nursing bill introduced first in 1947 by Representative George C. Wallace. Wallace went on to serve Alabama as state circuit court judge and governor for four terms.