With just three days left in the legislative session, no new bills can make it through the Alabama Legislature.
Technically, there is still time for a bill to be voted on by the House floor, a Senate committee and Senate floor or vice versa, but the vast majority of bills passed in these last three days will be bills that have already cleared one chamber.
With that in mind, here are a few bills that have positioned themselves for potential passage in the final week of session:
HB385 (jailing librarians)
Rep. Arnold Mooney’s bill that would remove criminal exemptions for librarians under Alabama’s obscenity law has cleared the House and one Senate committee, leaving just a vote on the Senate floor standing in its way of becoming law. At least one amendment is coming before the bill could come before the full Senate, which will likely make district attorneys responsible for prosecuting the misdemeanor charge. Another amendment is in discussions to protect retailers after APR pointed out how the bill’s language could catch some stores in the crossfire.
HB130 (Don’t Say Gay)
A bill by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, extending Alabama’s current prohibition on the instruction or teacher-led discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity is three-quarters of the way through the Legislature. The bill would extend the prohibition through eighth grade instead of fifth grade. It would also prevent teachers from displaying pride flags or other LGBTQ insignias.
HB195 (Sexual Risk Avoidance)
This bill by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, would prevent certain groups from providing sex education in schools and prevent sex ed materials from being “sexually explicit.” It has passed the House and a Senate committee, leaving just a Senate floor vote in its way of becoming law.
