This Information Pertains To The 2024 Alabama Legislative Session
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WEEK 2 (Feb.13-15)
Gambling Passes Full House - Headed To Senate
AL Senators Want & Need To Hear From you!
UPDATED 2.20.24: READ API’s “CORRUPT CASINO AMNESTY BILLS MOVE TO THE SENATE”
EVERY House democrat and over 3 dozen Republicans voted YES on two bills that would legalize state-sponsored predatory gambling in the state. Those bills are now headed to the Senate for consideration as early as next week. CONTACT THEM NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE AS THEY MAY VOTE NEXT WEEK. The gambling industry is pouring in limitless dollars to influence this vote. Senators want and need to hear from you and your friends ASAP. This massive measure takes Alabama from NO legalized gambling to three major addictive forms of predatory gambling. HB52 even gives amnesty to those who have been operating illegally until 2027!
Use the button above to contact YOUR Senator right now and the message will go directly to YOUR Senator. You can choose from a pre-written message, you can cut and paste bullet points provided, or you can write your own personalized message. SUPER EASY! Please watch The National Director of Stop Predatory Gambling Les Bernal discuss the facts about gambling and how it effects communities. This talk is based on truth and data and is very eye-opening.
VIEW ROLL CALL VOTES:
House Heroes Who Voted "NO" on BOTH Gambling Bills
These Representatives stood strong against tremendous pressure from gambling interests AND House leadership. If your House Representative is on the list you can send a thank you message directly to him/her by using the button below.
More Bill Updates From Week 2
The CHOOSE Act-Universal School Choice
BILL SB61 SPONSOR: Sen. Orr
DESCRIPTION: Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act (CHOOSE Act) is a universal Education Savings Account bill. This bill would provide up to $7,000/student to attend an accredited, non-public, participating school or $2000/homeschooling student or $4,000/homeschooling family. Read the Governor’s 1 pager here.
STATUS: There was a public hearing in the Senate on Wednesday. Watch it here. They did not take a vote in committee. We expect another public hearing in the House next week and a possible vote in the Full house on Thursday.
EF’S POSITION: We have not taken a public stance as we are seeking a bit more clarification on the actual mechanics. We would like to see an increase in the amount that homeschoolers are allowed to receive.
Ballot Harvesting Bill - Passed Full Senate
BILL: SB1 SPONSOR: Sen. Gudger
DESCRIPTION: This bill would prohibit any person from ordering, requesting, collecting, prefilling, obtaining, or delivering an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot of a voter in certain circumstances and would provide for exceptions. This bill would prohibit any person from receiving a payment or providing a payment to another person for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, prefilling, completing, obtaining, or delivering an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot of a voter in certain circumstances.
STATUS: The bill passed the full Senate is headed to the House
EF’S POSITION: We support this bill.
AL Dept of History and Archives Bill - Passed Full Senate
Changes to Library Boards -Passed Full Senate
BILL: SB10 SPONSOR: Sen. Elliott
DESCRIPTION: This bill would amend Sections of the current law and further provide for the appointment of county and municipal library board.
STATUS: It passed the full Senate and is headed to the house.
EF’S POSITION: We support this bill. It’s a good first-step to clean up Alabama libraries. More info here.
We are Your Voice at the State House
While you are working hard to provide for and care for your families, we are working for YOU!
This week Eagle Forum participated in two press conferences. One was hosted by API promoting education freedom and school choice in AL. The other was organized by a coalition of organizations opposing the legalization of predatory gambling. Leaders and members of organizations such as Eagle Forum, ALCAP, API, ALFA, and multiple pastors from across the state made public statements encouraging legislators to vote “NO” on gambling. Eagles from across the state came to show their opposition to the expansion of predatory gambling at the House’s public hearing. We also had the great opportunity to host author and education expert Stanley Kurtz of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. We made important connections with education leaders in the House and Senate about a new bill to transform higher education.
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