Time is running out for the 2025 legislative session. If a bill is to become law, time is of the essence.
According to the Alabama legislature's database, 879 bills were introduced during this legislative session, some of which were better than others.
In no particular order, the 1819 News editorial staff offers 10 conservative bills awaiting a fate by the Alabama Legislature.
- Bans discussion on gender ideology, pride flags in schools Status: Pending vote in the HouseHouse Bill 244 (HB244), sponsored by State Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City), is an extension of a bill passed in 2022. The 2022 bill banned classroom instruction or discussions regarding gender identity or sexual orientation in a manner that is not "age or developmentally appropriate."See: Bill banning gender ideology, pride flags delayed in House, future vote unclear
- Raises the age of consent for medical treatment Status: Passed Senate, awaiting House voteSenate Bill 101, by State Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia), would require a minor to be at least 16 years of age to consent to medical, dental and mental health services, including participation in school counseling services, receipt of a vaccine and the donation of bone marrow, unless the minor is married, divorced, pregnant, emancipated or living independently apart from his or her parents or legal guardian. See: Senate passes bill raising age of consent for medical treatment
- Protects religious freedom of parents who do not wish to vaccinate their children Status: Passed Senate, awaiting House committee actionSenate Bill 85 (SB85) by State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) would clarify current laws by stating that a written statement from a parent to a local school board is sufficient to obtain a religious vaccine exemption without having to give further explanation. Currently, exemptions must be applied for at the local health department. The provision also applies to parents or students attending a university.See: State Sen. Smitherman calls for excluding unvaccinated K-12 students from school — 'They need to be at home with Zoom'
- Increases healthcare access for obstetric and psychiatric treatment facilities Status: Introduced in Senate Senate Bill 285 (SB285) by State Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia). Under existing law, healthcare institutions and providers must apply for and obtain a certificate of need as a requirement for constructing new medical facilities or offering new or expanded healthcare services. This bill would eliminate the certificate of need requirement for any proposed new or expanded facility or health care service that provides obstetric care or psychiatric treatment.
- Bans drag performances without parental approval and protects children from rooming with the opposite sexStatus: Passed committee awaiting floor vote in HouseHouse Bill 67 (HB67), introduced by House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle), would prohibit public K-12 schools and public libraries from knowingly presenting or sponsoring drag performances in the presence of a minor without the consent of the minor's parent or legal guardian.It would also prohibit certain state entities from allowing minors to share certain facilities with members of the opposite sex during overnight programs operated or sponsored by the state entity unless the other individuals are family members of the minor and the minor's parent consents.See: Democrat lawmakers decry effort to ban drag performances in schools, libraries in the presence of a minor
- Strengthens Alabama's workforce by adjusting requirements for individuals who collect unemployment Status: Passed the House on Second Reading in SenateHouse Bill 29 (HB29), sponsored by Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville), changes the requirements for individuals receiving unemployment compensation. It requires the individual to contact an increased number of prospective employers for each week of unemployment claims, further providing for the meaning of failure to seek or accept suitable work.
- Protects First Amendment rights of education employees in K-12 and higher education Status: Passed committee awaiting floor vote in HouseHouse Bill 246 (HB246), also called the Freedom to Speak Act, House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle) said, "This bill would prohibit employees of public school and public institutions of higher education from using names and pronouns inconsistent with a student's legal name [and] biological sex without written permission from a student's parents or legal guardian."See: House Committee holds public hearing on bill to prohibit compulsory use of preferred names, pronouns in schools
- Allows Off-Campus Religious InstructionStatus: Bill stalled in House Education Policy Committee but is being promoted in the Alabama Senate by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth State Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover) sponsored House Bill 61 (HB61) to authorize off-campus religious instruction for K-12 public schools.See: House Committee shoots down bill allowing students to attend religious instruction during the school day – 'This is part of the process'
- Creates state database to protect RSA from Chinese Company Investments Status: Passed out of committee in Senate awaiting floor vote. No action in the House. Senate Bill 60 (SB69) would enforce a prohibition on investment activities by certain presidential executive orders addressing an identified national emergency regarding the threat from securities investments that finance Communist Chinese military companies. The bill would prohibit RSA from purchasing or selling any publicly traded securities to or from certain entities affiliated with Communist Chinese military companies.See: Bill would limit state investments in Chinese companies: 'We want to make sure RSA is following federal law'
- Protects $230 million overtime tax exemption from sunsetting Status: Looking all but dead in the water, according to House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville)House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels' (D-Huntsville) filed House Bill 467 (HB467)House Bill 217 by House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) eliminated state income taxes on all overtime pay for Alabama hourly workers by excluding overtime, or any hours worked above 40 hours per week, from the state definition of gross pay. The legislation was passed with broad Republican and Democrat support during the 2023 session.The law has a sunset date of June 30, 2025. The legislature would have to approve extending the program before the current legislative session ends so that the tax exemption can continue beyond that date. Most income in Alabama is subject to a 5% state income tax rate.See: REPORT: Alabama's overtime tax exemption 'has been a game-changer for the state's frontline workers'
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