WEEK 2 (Feb. 10-12)
PRAYER: A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF THE SESSION!
On Wednesday, Greg Davis and his team at ALCAP hosted a great “Prayer rally” to kick off the 2025 Legislative Session. Due to inclement weather this year’s rally was held inside the RSA building across from the State House. It was wonderful to pray with the many legislators who were there as well as Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, Secretary of State Wes Allen, Katherine Robertson from the Attorney General’s office, State Auditor Andrew Sorrell and Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook. It was also a joy to reconnect with Eagle Forum members who came from across the state!
DEFINING "MALE" & "FEMALE" INTO AL LAW
BILL SB79 SPONSOR: Sen. Weaver
DESCRIPTION: This bill would define man, woman, boy, girl, father, mother, male, female, and sex for purposes of state law. This would provide policy on the differences between sexes.
STATUS: This bill passed both chambers and has been signed by the Governor.
EF’s POSITION: We support this bill.
NEW BILLS THIS WEEK:
INCREASING PENALTIES FOR "SEXTORTION"
DID YOU KNOW…
- Sextortion is the largest blackmail operation in human history.
- The surge of financial sextortion is a public safety and national security emergency.
- There has been an 18,000% increase of reported financial sex extortion targeting minors in the US since fourth quarter of 2021.
- 90% of victims are males ages 14 to 17.
- Instagram is the #1 platform where sextortion criminals target teens.
- Instagram doesn’t offer a privacy setting to keep followers/following lists private. These lists are used to blackmail victims.
On Facebook sextortion criminals shared sextortion “how-to” guides with hundreds of public groups amounting to over 100K members.
BILL SB35 SPONSOR: Sen. Allen
DESCRIPTION: Under existing law, a person commits the crime of sexual extortion if he or she knowingly causes or attempts to cause another person to engage in a sexual act or to produce any photograph, digital image, video, film, or other recording of any person, whether recognizable or not, engaged in any sexual conduct by communicating any threat to injure the body, property, or reputation of any person. This bill would further provide that a person commits the crime of sexual extortion if he or she knowingly threatens to release or transmit any photograph, digital image, video, film, or other recording of any individual, whether recognizable or not, engaged in any act of sexually explicit conduct in order to compel or attempt to compel the victim to do any act or refrain from doing any act against his or her will.
STATUS: This bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is headed to the Senate floor.
OUR POSITION: We support this bill. Learn more about this topic by watching the webinar below from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
BILLS ON THE MEDICAL FRONT:
NO RETRIBUTION FOR RECOMMENDING "OFF LABEL" USE
BILL HB79 SPONSOR: Rep. Brown
DESCRIPTION: Existing law prohibits the State Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission from taking action against the license of a physician when the physician recommends or prescribes a medical treatment that is off-label. This bill would give pharmacists the same protection by prohibiting the Board of Pharmacy from suspending, revoking, or refusing to renew the license of a pharmacist who either recommends the off-label use of a drug or fills a prescription for the off-label use of a drug.
STATUS: This bill passed the House unanimously and is headed to the Senate.
OUR POSITION: We support this bill.
RAISING THE MEDICAL AGE OF CONSENT FROM 14 TO 18
BILL SB101 SPONSOR: Sen. Stutts
DESCRIPTION: Under existing law, a minor who is at least 14 years of age, who has graduated from high school, or who is married, divorced, or pregnant may give legal consent to medical, dental, and mental health services for himself or herself. Also under existing law, any minor may give legal consent to participate in school counseling services, to donate bone marrow, or to determine the presence of or treat pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and alcohol or drug dependency. This bill would require a minor to be at least 18 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. This bill would also provide that parents have a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the furnishing of health care services to their minor child.
STATUS: SB101 passed out of Senate Children and Youth Health Committee and is headed to the Senate floor.
OUR POSITION: We support this bill.
PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIRED FOR VACCINES
BILL HB2 SPONSOR: Rep. Brown
DESCRIPTION: Under existing law, a minor 14 years of age or older may give consent for medical, dental, and mental health services for himself or herself without parental consent. This bill would require the written consent of a parent or a legal guardian for any minor to receive a vaccination, unless the minor is living independently from his or her parent or legal guardian.
STATUS: HB2 passed House on Tuesday and is headed to the Senate.
EF’s POSITION: We support this bill.
PRAYER AND PLEDGE IN SCHOOL
BILL HB231 SPONSOR: Rep. Ingram
DESCRIPTION: This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, concerning public K-12 schools. It mandates that each local board of education adopt a policy requiring the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and a prayer consistent with Judeo-Christian values to be conducted at the beginning of each school day in every public K-12 school.
STATUS: HB231 passed the House State Government Committee and is headed to the House floor.
OUR POSITION: We support this bill.
DIVESTING IN CHINA
BILL SB69 SPONSOR: Sen. Bell
DESCRIPTION: Under existing law, the Board of Control of the Retirement Systems of Alabama is authorized to act as trustee of several funds and is granted full power to invest and reinvest funds. This bill would enforce the prohibition placed 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. This bill would prohibit the purchase or sale of any publicly traded securities to or from certain entities affiliated with Communist Chinese military companies or any publicly traded securities that are derivative of such securities or are designed to provide investment exposure to such securities.
STATUS: SB69 Passed out of Senate Vetrans and Military Affairs Committee and is awaiting debate on the Senate floor.
OUR POSITION: We support this bill.
PROTECTING MINORS FROM "GALAXY GAS"
BILL SB78 SPONSOR: Sen. Weaver
DESCRIPTION: This bill would prohibit the use of butyl nitrite or any mixtures containing butyl nitrite, commonly known as “whippets,” and the use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas,” or “galaxy gas” and amyl nitrite, commonly known as “poppers” or “snappers,”. This bill would also provide penalties for any violations of the prohibition.
WHY THE BILL IS NEEDED: Minors are purchasing dangerous products from convenience stores and smoke shops that pose significant health risks. These inhalants can cause severe bodily harm, ranging from respiratory issues to severe neurological and cardiovascular complications. The dangers of nitrous oxide inhalants should not be underestimated. See more here.
STATUS: SB78 passed the full Senate and is headed to the House Health Committee.
EF’s POSITION: We support this bill.
SENATE IMMIGRATION BILLS THAT PROGRESSED
BILL SB63 SPONSOR: Sen. Bell
DESCRIPTION: This bill would require law enforcement agencies to collect fingerprints and DNA from any illegal alien in the agency’s custody and submit the fingerprints and DNA for testing or cataloging. Citizens are currently required to provide this information. This law would now include illegal aliens to submit the same information when they are in custody.
STATUS: This bill passed the Senate and is headed to the House.
EF’s POSITION: We support this bill.
BILL SB53 SPONSOR: Sen. Kitchens
DESCRIPTION: Under existing law, when an alien or a suspected alien is arrested and booked in a state, county, or municipal jail, a reasonable effort shall be made to
determine if that individual is an illegal alien. This bill would further provide for the process in which an administrator in charge of a state, county, or municipal jail, or his or her designee, is to determine whether an individual arrested and booked in the jail is an illegal alien. This bill would also create the crime of human smuggling and would provide criminal penalties for violations
STATUS: This bill passed the Seante and is headed to the House.
EF’s POSITION: We support this bill.
BILL SB55 SPONSOR: Sen. Elliott
DESCRIPTION: This bill would invalidate the use of any driver license that explicitly indicates it was issued to an individual who did not exercise the option of providing proof of lawful presence in the United States when obtaining the license. This bill would also prevent a nonresident from qualifying for an exemption to the Alabama driver license requirement if the nonresident’s license explicitly indicates that it was issued to an individual who did not exercise the option of providing proof of lawful presence in the United States when obtaining the license.
STATUS: SB55 Passed the full Senate and is headed to the House.
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