The Alabama House passed HB244 on April 17, which would take the current restrictions placed upon public school teachers in kindergarten to fifth grade from discussing or teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity, and apply them to K-12 students.

In addition to restricting classroom discussions for all grade levels, the bill would ban public school employees from displaying pride flags or anything else that could represent a gender identity while in a classroom. 

During a public hearing, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, explained that the bill did not prevent students having private discussions with teachers about their gender identity, but that it did prevent them discussing it in a classroom setting. 

Butler also argued that the bill put Alabama in line with President Donald Trump’s executive order, which banned the support of federal funds for K-12 programs that included or were “based on gender ideology.”

Several opponents of HB244 spoke out against the legislation during the public hearing. One of those attending, Susan Stewart of Huntsville argued that the legislation would create an atmosphere of shame for students. 

“You’re actually going to tell a teacher that if students ask questions about a classmate with two mommies, they have to drag students aside for private conversations, creating an atmosphere of shame and confusion in their own classroom?” Stewart said during the hearing.

In addition to the passage of HB244, the house also passed HB67, which would ban public schools and libraries from “presenting or sponsoring drag performances in the presence of a minor without the consent of the minor’s parent or legal guardian.”

HB67’s sponsor, Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, also sponsored HB246, which would prohibit employees at public schools and institutes of higher education from using pronouns or names for minors that do not align with their biological sex, without a guardian’s permission. 

Additionally, HB246 would give public educators legal immunity and students immunity from discipline for not utilizing the preferred pronoun or name of students. 

HB246 was approved by a committee, but has not been approved by the full House. HB67 and HB244 have been approved by the House and moved to the Senate. 

Alabama top stories in brief 

Proposed school cell phone ban progresses through Legislature

• SB92, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, was approved by committee and now moves to the senate for final approval. 

• If approved, the bill would ban cell phones by students during the school day and require all students complete a social media safety course.  

• The bill is identical to HB166, which has been passed by the House. 

• Since the bills in both chambers are identical and HB166 has already passed, if the senate approves SB92 it will be sent to Gov. Kay Ivey for approval without needing approval in the House.

Montgomery to host legacy HBCU football Classic

• The Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, will be the new location for the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic in October.

• Described as a “cherished tradition” by Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, the bowl game is between Tuskegee University and Morehouse College, two historically Black institutions.

• The game has been held in Columbus, Georgia, since 1936, except for a short break in 2020-2023, when it was hosted in Birmingham, AL.

Alabama House passes bill to felonize human cloning

• The Alabama House of Representatives approved HB380 on April 9, which, if passed by the state Senate, would make “asexual reproduction,” as defined by the legislation, a Class C felony in the state of Alabama.

• The bill is sponsored by Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, who said “not all scientific possibilities align with what is ethical, just and safe,” in regards to human cloning.

• If passed, the bill would exempt In Vitro Fertilization treatment and research involving lab-grown human organs.

Committee approves bill to fight food campus food insecurity

• HB273, would create a “hunger free campus” status that universities could apply for, which, if funding is made available, would make them eligible for funding to help them acquire supplies or establish a food pantry.

• Requirements to be considered a hunger free campus would include establishing a food pantry, providing places for students to utilize Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on campus or giving them resources on local places they could use their SNAP benefits and creating a meal credit donation program or some other form of food vouchers. 

• Funding for the program has not been allocated by the Legislature, but Alabama Commision on Higher Education Executive Director, Jim Purcell said that funds could still be provided through national means. 

Senate passes bill to restructure Department of Archives Board 

• SB5 was passed by the senate on April 17. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, and would restructure the Alabama Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees.

• If passed, SB5 would remove the board’s ability to appoint their own members and place the majority of that authority with the governor and the others with members of the Legislature.

• Currently, the board may vote to nominate new members who then must be approved by the Senate. 

• In addition to changing the appointing authority, the bill would allow board members to be removed by the office responsible for appointing them. 

• Elliot has been attempting to make changes to the Department of Archives since the department hosted a presentation on LGBTQ+ history in Alabama in the summer of 2023. His last attempt to restructure the board was approved in the Senate and by a House committee, but did not make it to the House floor before the end of the session.

New report estimates 277 deaths in Alabama prisons in 2024

• The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama published a new report which estimated that at least 277 deaths occurred in Alabama Department of Correction facilities in 2024. 

• According to the report, 105 of those deaths are listed as unknown or still under investigation, 77 to natural causes, 46 to overdose and 12 to homicide. 

• Eddie Burkhalter, a researcher at Alabama Appleseed, told Alabama Reflector that the number of deaths was being driven up by the amount of drugs being brought into ADOC facilities. 

• The number of deaths is lower than the number found in an Alabama Appleseed report for 2023, though the ACLU has said that the number could be higher due to ADOC not maintaining accurate records. 

Announcements

• The first podcast episode of Alabama Spotlight, our new multi-media project celebrating amazing people, places and things in Alabama will be released April 22! Check out the new page on our site to subscribe and view a small sampling of the photos from some of the places we’ve visited so far. 

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