The Alabama House passed two bills to allow the University of Alabama to restructure its social work and medicine programs on Thursday.
House Bill 151 and House Bill 152 are both sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville.
Garrett said the bills were developed during conversations with UA’s administration on “outcome-based funding,” in order to improve retention and graduation rates for Alabama universities.
“In those discussions, we’ve found a couple things in the law that are archaic,” the representative said.
HB151, which the House passed unanimously, would repeal the mandate that UA’s School of Medicine must have a physician’s advisory board.
According to Garrett, the university board has not met since 1995.
“The last time this board met, Representative Colvin wasn’t born. This is a board that has not met. Does not meet,” he said. “And there’s no penalty if they don’t meet.”
HB152, meanwhile, would repeal a 1965 law that mandated that the University of Alabama establish and maintain a standalone school of social work to address a shortage of social workers in the state.
“The intention is not to dismantle the social work programs, or even the social work school. What we’re saying here is repealing the law that they have to be structured this way,” Garrett said.
Garrett cited that the UA School of Social Work is the smallest school at the university and has the school’s highest ratio of faculty and administrators to students.
“It’s mandated, and that’s why they have the standalone school,” he said. “Most universities are structured different.”
“The University of Alabama is the leading social work college and program in the state. We need social workers. We need more social workers. What this bill would do is simply repeal the requirement that they be structured this way,” Garrett added.
Garrett faced more than an hour of questioning from multiple House Democrats on the purpose and necessity of his legislation.
Representative Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, expressed concerns that the legislation would allow the university to downsize or dismantle the department.
“I think in 1965, when the legislation was first enacted, that it was enacted for a reason, and I think not only is that reason still there, but it’s even more compelling today with the shortage we have in social workers,” the representative said.
“I feel like this bill isn’t really solving any of the problems we have in social work. And those problems have to do with there are too few funded positions, the wages are low and do not reflect training or responsibility, there is high turnover and burnout and a lack of a coordinated workforce development strategy,” she added.
Garrett responded that although he has heard concerns from individuals associated with the program that his bill would allow the school to be downsized or dissolved, he and members of the university’s administration feel the legislation will allow UA to better manage its social work programming.
“There’s a fear, I’ve talked to some people who are graduates of the program who are concerned about that. But the university is the largest graduate of social workers in the state. They want to continue and want to grow that,” Garrett said.
“I’m a CFO. I’m a numbers guy, so when I look at the numbers and see out of the 40,000 students, we only have 647. To your point, that’s not near enough to what we need. So, what the university position is, this will give them more autonomy, flexibility, and allow them to innovate,” he continued.
Representative Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, questioned whether the social work school’s current structure had caused any problems for the university’s administration, to which Garrett said no.
“To me, if it ain’t broke… You know that saying?” Clarke asked.
“I would again, looking at the numbers I see, I would think there’s plenty of room for improvement,” the bill’s sponsor responded.
“I just don’t see that this is the answer. I hope that the university is looking at other ways to help increase enrollment,” Clarke added.
Representative Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, told Garrett he had heard worries from constituents “skeptical” of the bill, and expressed concerns that it would allow the UA School of Social Work’s curriculum to be restricted.
“Social work deals with a lot of things that perhaps have been up for debate because they are maybe considered divisive concepts, such as social determinism in health, racial inequities in healthcare—these things that have all of a sudden become super politicized and things that [are] real issues that are effecting Alabama that we need to address directly,” Rafferty said.
“The unintended consequences of this can be dire, particularly since just this past summer, you know, the federal professional degree reclassification took effect, removing social work as a professional degree,” he continued. “What we don’t want to get is political interference into a very important curriculum that deals with stuff that might make some people in this chamber feel uncomfortable.”
Representative Mary Moore, D-Birmingham; Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville; as well as Rep. Jaundalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, all questioned Garrett regarding rumors that the legislation was aimed at allowing the university to remove social work department leadership or restrict diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum.
“I heard it was [the department’s] too woke. Too w-o-k-e,” Jackson said.
“I haven’t heard that. You know, I hope you know me, I’m a financial person. I’m a structure person. I’m just trying to accommodate a structure that makes sense in 2026,” Garrett responded.
Garrett went on to restate his belief that mandating the university maintains a standalone department is no longer a necessity.
“There were less than 100 social workers in the entire state of Alabama and some counties did not have social workers, so they wanted to, they mandated that school, but 60 years later, with the whole social work needs changing, the whole culture changing, the whole state changing, the state of Alabama is very different. The needs we have are very different,” Garrett said.
“Has Alabama changed that much since 1965? Culturally speaking?” Jackson asked, arguing that his home of Clarke County still suffers from a shortage of Department of Human Services social workers, which necessitates the law mandating the school staying in place.
“I think it’s a tough issue because it is the department of social work,” Givan told Garrett. “I think it is because, especially in the Black community, it has been one of those curriculums that, you know, many people of color have gravitated toward.”
“There is a level of distrust because of so many things that are being stripped away, and especially things that have become a benefit to people of color,” she added.
The House voted to pass the bill, 76-14.
Both pieces of legislation will advance to receive reviews by the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee.
