The Alabama House of Representatives is scheduled on Tuesday to consider legislation that would prohibit instruction of gender identity or sexual orientation in public K-12 schools.
The House will gavel in for its 24th legislative day on Tuesday. The House's special order calendar features several bills, one of which is highly controversial and will likely consume a significant amount of debate time on the House floor.
House Bill 130 (HB130), sponsored by State Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City), would expand the state's prohibition of discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in K-5 classrooms to K-12 classrooms.
The House Education Policy Committee advanced the legislation in March after it voted down an amendment to address the recent controversy surrounding Huntsville's U.S. Space and Rocket Center's space camp.
State Rep. Mark Gidley (R-Hokes Bluff) attempted to amend the bill in committee. The amendment would have applied the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity to Space Camp and other youth science programs.
During the meeting, House Education Policy Committee chairwoman Terri Collins (R-Decatur) said she had "concerns about calling out one institution when we have camps and things all over."
The Space Camp controversy began after a parent expressed concern about a transgender counselor who was reportedly working at the overnight camp.
Despite the Space Camp-related amendment getting voted down, lawmakers have said they intend to offer an amendment on the House floor.
Butler told 1819 News that the amendment would "basically cover any K-12 entities receiving state [dollars]." According to Butler, the purpose of the amendment is to address concerns that Space Camp was being uniquely targeted.
State Rep. Ben Harrison (R-Cartwright) is expected to carry the amendment. According to Harrison, the amendment would apply to state agencies accepting funds from the state's Education Trust Fund.
"What the amendment is going to say is, if you receive any Education Trust Fund money, you're included in the bill," Harrison said. "It's going to be something like that. I haven't cleared it with [the Legislative Services Agency], but we're going to be playing whack-a-mole. Some other agency, some other place is going to appear somewhere else. So I think this will cover everybody. You cannot expose children to this kind of stuff if you take state Education Trust Fund [money].
The Alabama GOP, Moms For Liberty, Eagle Forum, and the Alabama Policy Institute support HB 130.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
