The Alabama House of Representatives will meet on Thursday for the final time in the 2026 legislative session, where lawmakers will vote on a handful of consequential bills before the day’s end.
The House is slated to consider 15 Senate bills on Thursday, covering a broad range of topics, including municipal voting, property protection, indoor vaping, university financial reporting and police staffing in the capital city.
The legislature has already passed several education-related bills this session, including approving the Education Trust Fund budget for the next fiscal year. Thursday, however, House lawmakers will vote on two pieces of legislation, one of which has drawn criticism in this and previous sessions.
The most controversial is Senate Bill 99 (SB99), sponsored by State Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston), which requires each local board of education in the state to display the Ten Commandments, along with a context statement, in each history classroom serving students in grades 5 through 12. Per the legislation, the commandments would also have to be displayed in a common area of each school that serves only fifth-grade students or above.
The bill would condition the requirement on the availability of donated displays or donated funds to purchase displays. The bill would require the State Department of Education to identify and publicize free resources that local boards of education may use to comply with the display requirement.
Similar legislation received pushback when attempted last year, with many claiming it is unconstitutional. However, many House Democrats supported it.
Also on the House calendar is a proposed constitutional amendment. Senate Bill 5 (SB5) by State Sen. Gerald Allen (R-Tuscaloosa) would propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours.
Both bills will have to receive an affirmative vote by House members before they can go to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for her signature. If passed, SB5 would require a positive vote by Alabamians in the next statewide ballot before it can be enshrined into the state constitution.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
