This Information Pertains To The 2024 Alabama Legislative Session
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WEEK 7 (April 2-4)
Protecting Children
CELL PHONE PORN FILTER BILL
HB167 (Rep. Sells) This bill would require that when new cell phones and tablets are activated in Alabama their explicit content (porn) filter would automatically toggle to “On”.
STATUS: On Thursday it passed the House 98-0 and is now headed to the Senate. We support this bill.
HARMFUL TO MINORS/OBSCENITY BILL
HB385 (Rep. Mooney) This bill prohibits the display of sexually provocative presentations in public libraries and in K – 12 schools and school libraries, and in any other public places where minors are expected or known to be present. The bill also makes public libraries and school libraries subject to Alabama’s Anti-Obscenity law, where previously they had been excluded from its criminal provisions.
SIDE NOTE: There was a public hearing on Wednesday. One of the librarians who testified explained that this bill would require moving the “classic book The Bluest Eye” to the adult section, which in her view is a bad idea. Watch this 2min clip of Becky Gerritson reading a portion of The Bluest Eye before the AL Senate Education Committee in 2014. It was so explicit they made her stop reading!
STATUS: HB385 passed out of committee and is headed to the House floor for a vote. We support this bill. Read 819News coverage here.
NO STATE FUNDS IF AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
HB425 (Rep. Yarbrough) This bill would prohibit the state or any library from supplying any minor with material containing sexual content. This bill would prohibit a library from purchasing or accepting donated materials containing sexual content if the publisher of the material has recommended it for minors. This bill would prohibit any entity that receives state funds and any library from affiliating with the American Library Association.
STATUS: HB425 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. We support this bill.
HEALTH RELATED BILLS
EXPANSION OF “MEDICAL MARIJUANA”
SB276 (Sen. Sessions) This bill would expand the current medical marijuana program by increasing the number of cannabis processors from 4 to 6, dispensary licenses from 4 to 7, and integrated facility licenses from no more than 5 to a mandatory 15.
STATUS: A public hearing was held on Wednesday; approximately 15 people signed up to testify. Almost all of them were from the marijuana industry and testified AGAINST the bill. The most popular reason was that an expansion this huge would over saturate the market and the products would eventually end up on the streets. That is what is happening in other states. The Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee will vote on this bill at 10:30 on Wednesday in room 316.
EF’S POSITION: Alabama’s “medical” marijuana program has not been fully implemented; not even 1 patient has been treated yet. But this bill calls for a huge increase in the number of processors, dispensaries, and integrated facilities. The argument was made by the majority of people who testified that the Alabama program should not be expanded until the market shows a need for it. We agree. Kill the bill!
REMOVING DEPT OF AGRICULTURE FROM GRANTING LICENSES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA
HB390 (Rep. Crawford) Under existing law, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is responsible for the regulation, licensure, and enforcement of all aspects of the processing and dispensing of medical cannabis, while the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries shares responsibility with the commission for the regulation and enforcement of the cultivation of cannabis to be used for medical cannabis products. This bill would provide that the regulation, licensure, and enforcement functions relating to the cultivation of cannabis are duties of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission and would require the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to cooperate with the commission in carrying out these functions.
STATUS: This bill has been referred to the House Health Committee. We support this bill.
RELIGIOUS/MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR VACCINES FOR MINORS
SB246 (Sen. Orr) This bill would clarify that a parent or guardian’s written declaration is sufficient documentation to exempt his or her child from a vaccine requirement for religious reasons. This bill would also provide that, if a public institution of higher education requires students to be vaccinated or tested for a disease, that a student may be exempt for medical reasons or because he or she objects for religious reasons. We support this bill.
STATUS: It passed out of committee, and it headed to the Senate floor for a vote.
OFF-LABEL USE OF MEDICATION
SB72 (Sen. Orr) This bill would prohibit the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama from taking adverse action against a physician who prescribes or recommends off-label medical treatments. We support this bill.
STATUS: This bill passed out of committee and is ready to be voted on in the full Senate.
PROTECTION FROM CHINA AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
VIEW THIS ACTION ALERT FROM NATIONAL EAGLE FORUM REGARDING THE WHO!
LIMITING THE JURISDICTION OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
SB303 (Sen. Carnley) HB424 (Rep. Mooney) This bill would provide that the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum shall have no jurisdiction or power within the State of Alabama. This bill would further provide that no rules, regulations, fees, taxes, policies, or mandates of any kind, which are passed by any of the aforementioned entities, shall be enforced or implemented by the State of Alabama or any political subdivision thereof. We support these companion bills.
RESOLUTION TO DEFUND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
HJR113 (Rep. Butler) This resolution supports defunding the World Health Organization and rejects any international health regulations regarding pandemic preparedness. Please contact the House Rules Committee and ask them to put this resolution on the House calendar. We support this resolution.
NO DRONES FROM CHINA
SB241 (Sen. Allen) This bill would require that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency purchase unmanned aircraft systems (drones) that are compliant with Federal Aviation Administration standards and that present no threat to the security of the state, unlike those purchased from China. This bill has been assigned to the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. We support this bill.
HIGHER ED REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE FOREIGN DONATIONS
HB330 (Rep. Woods) This bill would require the governing body of each public institution of higher education to provide annual reports to the Governor and certain legislators regarding funding received from foreign countries of concern and certain entities and individuals associated with those countries. This bill would also define foreign countries of concern to mean the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro, and the Syrian Arab Republic.
STATUS: This bill passed out of House Education Policy and is headed to the house floor for a vote. We support this bill.
CLIMATE CHANGE NONSENSE
HB327 (Rep. Baker) SB230 (Sen. Albritton) These identical bills would allow for the leasing of lands to capture and store carbon dioxide (also called carbon sequestration).
EF’s POSITION/STATUS: In May 2023 Biden’s Energy Department announced $251 million to back projects in multiple states for developing or expanding large-scale carbon storage and transport. Alabama was awarded $18M to the Southern States Energy Board for site characterization and permitting for a storage hub in the state. Carbon dioxide storage is not a viable option for cutting greenhouse emissions as more emissions are released than removed. And the carbon “storage” methods are unproven and unpredictable. Billions of taxpayer funds are being used to promote Biden’s agenda. These bills are headed to the House and Senate floors for a vote. Ask your Representative and Senator to vote “NO”.
GAMBLING UPDATE
HB151/HB152 (Rep. Blackshear) In March, the Senate passed amended versions of the House bills. On Thursday, the House voted not to concur with the Senate versions. The bills will now go to a six-member conference committee to work out the differences. The House reps on the conference committee will be Blackshear (R), Whitt (R), and Sam Jones (D). The Senate has not yet responded to the House’s non-concurrence. We expect them to announce their 3 members for the conference committee early next week. Use this smartlink to send a message to your Representative and Senator to vote “NO” on all gambling bills.
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