Bills To Watch Out For In The Alabama Legislature

By Kirsten Barnes

The Alabama Legislative Session is set to start Feb. 4, 2025, in Montgomery, Ala., and there are dozens of bills which the public needs to know about.

Many of them have to deal with divisive concepts and other issues related to education and our legal system.

On January 8-9 the Alabama Democratic Senators held a meeting with K-12 and Higher Education leaders, along with district attorneys and judges to discuss the upcoming Legislative Session.

“My fear that we my have legislation that is buoyed by the results of November 5,” said Sen. Kirk Hatcher, who represents Montgomery. “I’m seeing some pretty foul bills, and I thought, for example, that we were done with this issue concerning our state archives.”

During last session the Alabama State Archives came under fire for including information concerning the history of LGBTQ rights in Alabama, and hundreds of books were banned from our library shelves.

“I am personal sick and tired of this kind of divisiveness that takes place which exhausted so many of us last year,” Hatcher said.

Hatcher and the other senators present (Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, Sen. Merika Coleman, Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, Sen. Rodger Smitherman, Sen. Robert Stewart, and Sen. Vivian Davis Figures) urged those in the room to come to the Alabama State House and tell their Republican colleagues how they feel about these bills.

“We’ve got to have people who are out there seeing what’s happening talking about the results,” Hatcher said. “We’re out here fighting for our constituents and for the future of this county.”

Some of the prefilled bills that should be looked at include:

SB13 by Sen. Gerald Allen: This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would require all K-12 public schools in Alabama to broadcast or perform the first stanza of the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, at least once per week during school hours. Each local board of education would be responsible for implementing this policy, either by playing a recorded version or by having a school-sanctioned performance (such as a choir or band) based on materials available through the Library of Congress.

HB41 by Rep. Matthew Hammett: This bill aims to significantly increase penalties for illegal gambling operations, particularly targeting the operators behind these activities rather than low-level employees. Under the bill, promoting illegal gambling, conspiring to promote it, and possessing gambling records could escalate from misdemeanors to Class C felonies, with repeat violations rising to Class B felonies. Fines also are set to increase, with operators facing $1,000 penalties per illegal gambling machine and up to $2,500 for possessing large quantities of illegal lottery tickets. The bill also proposes provisions for the state to destroy or sell any seized illegal gambling equipment, with proceeds used to cover enforcement costs.

HB34 by Rep. Ron Bolton: This bill aims to expand the criminal penalties associated with giving false information to law enforcement officers. Currently, it’s a Class A misdemeanor to provide a false name or address to an officer with an intent to mislead. This bill proposes to include giving a false date of birth under this offense, applying the same misdemeanor penalty. Additionally, it would require that during a lawful stop, individuals provide not only their name, address, and explanation of actions, but also their date of birth upon request. Refusal to comply would be classified as a Class C misdemeanor. If passed, the bill would take effect on Oct. 1, 2025.

HB33 by Rep. Reed Ingram: This bill establishes a pilot program for juvenile offenders who commit nonviolent crimes. The bill requires that juveniles involved in minor offenses, along with a parent or guardian, participate in an intervention program run by state troopers. This program aims to intervene early with at-risk youth and hold guardians accountable, emphasizing the importance of family involvement in deterring future crimes. The intervention class is two hours, with both the juvenile and the guardian required to pass a written test at the end of the program. Initially, the bill will be implemented in five high-population counties that see elevated juvenile delinquency rates. The program is set to launch on June 1, 2025, and unless extended, will expire in 2030, with continuation dependent on the program’s success in reducing juvenile crime rates in these areas. 

SB9 by Sen. Gerald Allen: This bill proposes updates to the enforcement and regulation of unarmed combat sports under the Alabama Athletic Commission’s authority. This bill specifically empowers the Alabama Attorney General to pursue civil actions for violations of the Alabama Unarmed Combat Act, which oversees activities like boxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts in the state. The bill outlines that violations by individuals like promoters, managers, or fighters could result in severe penalties, including fines, license suspensions, or felony charges. Additionally, unauthorized participation or promotion of unarmed combat events without proper licensing could result in Class A misdemeanor charges. The bill attempts to strengthen oversight by allowing the Attorney General to request injunctions or restraining orders and enforce financial penalties for regulatory breaches.

HB29 by Rep. Ed Oliver: This bill amends Alabama’s unemployment compensation laws by increasing the weekly job search requirement from three to five employer contacts for eligibility. It also clarifies what constitutes a “failure to seek or accept suitable work,” including missing interviews without notice or not responding to job offers within 72 hours. The bill updates the language of existing statutes for consistency and is scheduled to take effect on Oct. 1, 2025. 

SB8 by Sen. Gerald Allen: This bill, titled the “American History and Civics Initiative,” is focused on Alabama high school teachers. It mandates that the Alabama Department of Education develop an online certification course for high school teachers on American history and civics, emphasizing the philosophical foundations of the United States and the importance of civic pride. Teachers who complete this course can earn a certification endorsement and a one-time $3,000 stipend. This is intended to deepen students’ understanding of American values and government structure and encourage active civic participation.

SB6 by Sen. Chris Elliot: This bill updates the appointment process for library board members, allowing them to serve at the discretion of their appointing authority and be removed by a two-thirds vote. It introduces annual reporting requirements for library boards and emphasizes diversity in board membership. Members serve at the pleasure of appointing authority and may be removed by a two-thirds vote. Boards are composed of five members, appointed by the local governing body. Boards must submit annual reports detailing their membership and any actions taken regarding library collections. Appointing authorities must ensure that board membership reflects the state’s racial, gender and geographic diversity. If passed it would become effective on Oct. 1, 2025.

SB5 by Sen. Chris Elliot: This bill modifies the composition and appointment process for the Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History. The board will expand from its current size to include 19 members, with new appointments made by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and legislative leaders to ensure racial, gender, geographic and economic diversity. The Governor or their designee becomes a voting member. The bill also modernizes language and procedural guidelines. These changes will be effective June 1, 2025

HB9 by Rep. Leigh Hulsey: This bill prohibits the use of the three-cueing system of reading instruction in Alabama’s public K-12 schools. It mandates the adoption of instructional materials and teaching strategies based on the science of reading, focusing on phonics, decoding, and evidence-based methods. Schools and educator preparation programs must comply with these requirements starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

HB7 by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough: This bill focuses on immigration enforcement. This bill directs the Alabama Attorney General to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The purpose is to enable Alabama state law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The bill establishes specific procedures for the arrest, detention and transportation of undocumented individuals and requires detailed reporting of these actions to ensure accountability. Additionally, it outlines the cooperation between state and federal authorities to identify and process individuals for potential deportation when they violate immigration laws. This bill is part of broader measures to increase state-level involvement in immigration enforcement in Alabama.

HB4 by Rep. Arnold Mooney: This bill proposes amendments to the state’s criminal code, specifically concerning the regulation of material and conduct classified as “harmful to minors.” This bill seeks to repeal existing exemptions that protect public libraries and K-12 public schools from prosecution under obscenity laws. The proposed changes significantly broaden the definition of “sexual conduct” to include activities or presentations considered “gender-oriented” or inappropriate for minors in public settings, such as drag-related performances or explicit gender-themed content. These provisions are reportedly aimed at addressing issues like “drag queen story hours” and materials related to transgender topics in schools and libraries. However, this bill would make librarians and school staff criminally liable for providing access to content deemed unsuitable for minors, based on community standards or complaints. Individuals would be able to file formal complaints leading to potential law enforcement involvement if such content remains accessible without sufficient restriction.

HB3 by Rep. Chip Brown: This bill mandates enhanced sentencing for criminal defendants who are illegal aliens. If an illegal alien is convicted of a felony, the bill elevates the charge to the next higher felony classification. For example, a Class D felony conviction would be reclassified as a Class C felony. Additionally, any misdemeanor conviction involving a victim who is a minor would be elevated to a Class C felony. The bill specifies sentencing ranges for each elevated classification and if passed it will take effect on Oct. 1, 2024.

HB14 by Rep. Reed Ingram: In this bill, the attorney general or governor, after consulting with each other, may appoint an interim police chief to oversee a municipal police department if a specific and ongoing threat to public safety exists. The interim police chief would serve under the authority of their appointing official (Attorney General or Governor) and is not subject to the mayor, city council or other municipal officials. The interim police chief will serve until the attorney general or governor decides that the threat to public safety no longer exists, following the same evaluation process as outlined before the emergency appointment. The interim police chief’s salary will be paid from the operating account of the appointing authority and set at their discretion. The appointing authority may petition the circuit court for reimbursement of costs, including the interim police chief’s salary. The court will order reimbursement if the criteria are met at the time of the appointment. The interim police chief is designated as a state officer under Section 36-1-12 of the Code of Alabama. The interim police chief must provide a semi-monthly report to the mayor and city council on the police department’s status and remedial actions. The county sheriff may be appointed as the interim police chief and is eligible for additional compensation of up to $75,000 per year.

SB3 by Sen. Will Barfoot: This bill discusses the appointment of interim police chiefs under specific circumstances. The bill allows the governor or attorney general to appoint an interim police chief if it is determined that there is a significant public safety threat in a municipality. This decision would be based on factors such as local crime rates and law enforcement staffing levels, which must be at least 30 percent below the average of the past decade. The appointed interim chief would serve at the pleasure of the state official who appointed them and would not be under the authority of local municipal leaders such as the mayor or city council. The appointment would remain in effect until the threat to the public’s safety is resolved. The bill aims to address staffing shortages and low morale in police departments, particularly in cities like Montgomery, which have faced significant challenges with recruitment and leadership issues in law enforcement.