Alfred O. Adams (January 10, 1897 – October 25, 1989) was an American politician in the state of Washington. He served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1953 to 1969 for District 6. Throughout his time in office, Adams was noted for advocating fiscal responsibility and for his tough-on-crime stance.
Early life and education
Adams was born in Paola, Kansas, on January 10, 1897. During World War I, Adams was a member of the Missouri National Guard and served in England before moving to St. Louis, Missouri for college. Adams graduated from the Washington University School of Medicine in 1924.
Medical career
Adams began his medical career as an intern at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis, followed by positions at the Shriner's Hospital in St. Louis and the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. In 1930, Adams moved to Spokane, Washington to become chief surgeon of the city's Shriner's Hospital. He quickly became involved in the local medical community, becoming a member of the Spokane County Medical Society in 1935 and the Pacific Coast Surgical Society in 1937. At the time Adams moved to Spokane, the Shriner's hospital was renting space from another Spokane hospital. Under his leadership the hospital moved to a stand-alone building and began to focus heavily on children's orthopedic surgery. Adams resigned from the Shriner's Hospital in 1946 to enter private practice and began consulting at the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1950. He retired from medicine in 1955.
Political career
In 1952, Adams entered the Republican primary for the state representative position in Washington's 6th legislative district, citing the need for a balanced budget and cutting government spending as reasons for running. Adams won the general election along with fellow Republican Elmer E. Johnston. During his first term in office he partnered with Wilfred A. Gamon, the only other medical doctor in the house, to sponsor legislation creating a doctor's office at the Washington State Capitol. In 1955, Adams supported efforts to increase medical services at mental hospitals and to require doctors practicing in Washington to be licensed in-state. That same year, Adams opposed a successful measure to require people with certain medical conditions to go through additional scrutiny to receive a driver's license. Adams also sponsored legislation to create a disciplinary system for doctors found to be violating professional standards.
Adams sponsored legislation in 1957 that would have required candidates for public office publicly state their place of birth, education, and employment history on the ballot. Adams was a dedicated opponent of what he viewed as government waste, attacking successful legislation to increase welfare benefits. He also criticized the construction of state agency field offices in Spokane for utilizing a secret bidding process in 1958. Following his criticism, Governor Albert Rosellini cancelled the construction and the plan's originator resigned. In 1959 Adams sponsored legislation allowing hospitals to involuntarily commit people suspected of having mental disorders and immunizing those hospitals from lawsuits.
Adams supported 1960 efforts to require prisoners to pay rent while imprisoned, claiming that taxpayers should not have to support them. The following year, Adams sponsored legislation attempting to block the construction of the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, saying that Shelton was a poor location because it would make it more difficult for the area to attract high-quality professionals. He also sponsored legislation to streamline the organ donation process and opposed legislation to expand the state healthcare system to developmentally-disabled children. After legislators proposed changes to the state's discrimination statue in 1961, Adams became a vocal opponent of the State Board Against Discrimination, describing it as violating due process.