WEEK 11 (Apr 29-May 1)
"FAST & FURIOUS" BUT MOSTLY FURIOUS
Week 11 was one of the most frustrating so far. We started off the week on day 26 of 30 legislative days, which means time is running out. It takes five legislative days to pass a bill from start to finish. (For a better understanding of the bill process see graphic here.) If a bill has not been introduced by day 25 it will be impossible to pass. For our bills that haven’t been given a favorable report out of a committee in the first chamber or even for our bills that have successfully passed after floor debate in the first chamber, time is of the essence to make it through the second chamber!
What is so frustrating about the process is that citizens, lobbyists, and even most legislators can’t control how fast bills move though committees or to the debate floor. Ultimately, the most powerful influences are House and Senate leadership. Eagle Forum has been supporting (lobbying for) bills that would have been great for families and citizens, yet they were not put on committee agendas nor were they allowed to be debated on the floor. Another frustration was seeing the legislature adjourn after only a few hours on the floor, leaving many important bills on that day’s debate calendar be pushed to another day. For example, on Thursday the House adjourned before noon and the Senate at 1:08!
There are only THREE legislative days left in this session. Two of those days will be Tuesday and Wednesday, May 8-9. As it stands today, the last day of session will be on Wednesday, May 14. There is still hope for some of these good bills to pass. We will break it down for you below.
AFTER THREE LONG YEARS BILL FINALLY PASSES!
Accidental exposure to pornography is highly detrimental to children, and legislation is essential to assist parents in addressing this issue. For THREE years, Eagle Forum has prioritized the cell phone filter bill, also known as the “Default to Safety” bill. Every cell phone and tablet comes with an explicit content filter, but these filters default to “off,” requiring users to navigate through numerous complicated steps to activate them. This bill mandates that cellphone and tablet manufacturers implement a simple software update to ensure the filter automatically defaults to “on” when a minor’s device is first activated after purchase.
For the past two years, the bill passed the House with overwhelming support but was never allowed a vote in the Senate. This session, in a strategic shift, the bill was introduced in the Senate by Clyde Chambliss and successfully passed with a vote of 28-5. It then moved to the House floor and on Tuesday and passed unanimously.
We are immensely grateful to Rep. Sells and Sen. Chambliss for their dedication and hard work on this crucial bill to protect children. A special thanks to our friends at ALCAP, API and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) who helped lobby for the bill.
BILLS WE SUPPORT THAT HAVE CHANCE OF BECOMING LAW
IN THE SENATE
- HB30 Rep. Wood – Election Audit Bill
- HB2 Rep. Brown – Parental permission for vaccines
- HB79 Rep. Brown – No punishment for pharmacists suggesting off-label use of a drug
- HB49 Rep. Simpson – Death penalty/life in prison for rape/sodomy of a child
- HB449 Rep. Robbins – Must have permission to use DNA
- HB380 Rep. Rigsby – Ban human cloning
- HB67 Rep. Stadthagen – No drag shows in public libraries
- HB178 Rep. Gidley – Display Ten Commandments in public schools
- HB47 Rep. Standridge – Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America
- HB244 Rep. Butler – Prohibiting class discussions regarding sexual identity and sexual orientation
IN THE HOUSE
- SB101 Sen. Stutts – Raising the medical age of consent from 14 to 18.
- SB187 Sen. Chambliss – App Store bill requires app store providers to age verify
- SB35 Sen. Allen – Strengthen penalties for the crime of sextortion. (See more details in week 2)
- SB85 – Sen. Orr – Amend the process for obtaining religious exemptions for vaccines
A FINAL BIG CONCERN
BILL WILL LEGALIZE "RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA"
If passed in the Senate without amendments, HB445 by Rep. Whitt would legalize psychoactive THC (recreational marijuana) for individuals over 21 years of age. While the bill had great intentions and would “regulate” hemp products and prohibit those under 21 from purchasing them, it doesn’t go far enough. These psychoactive products should be banned entirely. 24 states have declared these psychoactive Delta 8 hemp products illegal including Colorado! If HB445 passes the Senate in its current form and is signed by Gov. Ivey, then Alabama will be another state in the Union to have legalized recreational marijuana. Please see our important coalition letter below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 30, 2025
Coalition Highlights the Public Safety Crisis from Synthesized Hemp Products
We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to address the growing public safety crisis caused by synthesized hemp products containing dangerously high levels of THC. Even though Alabama has not legalized recreational marijuana, a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill has allowed certain manufacturers to manipulate legal hemp—containing less than 0.3% THC dry weight at harvest—and synthesize it into highly potent psychoactive products. These items, misleadingly marketed as “hemp,” are being sold in gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops throughout the state. Though regulations prohibit sales to minors, these dangerous substances are increasingly making their way into the hands of Alabama’s youth.
On April 25, 2025, the Alabama Civil Court of Appeals issued a ruling on the AL Department of Public Health and Scott Harris, in his official capacity as State Health Officer v. TSTL Holdings LLC. The ruling confirmed that the Hemp Act’s intent was to create a hemp research program aimed at developing a market for industrial hemp and hemp products and not to authorize an open, unregulated market for food products containing industrial hemp, its derivatives, or cannabinoid. It also confirmed that neither the ADPH nor the FDA recognize cannabinoids as safe food additives.
We represent Eagle Forum of AL, ALCAP, Alabama Policy Institute, and Southeast Law Institute, and we are deeply concerned about the impact of these products on our communities. The frequent news stories that highlight deaths, suicides, and accidental poisonings actually under-represent the harm experienced by Alabama citizens. Alabama Forensics also confirms that in 2022-2023 THC was the number one intoxicant for DUI’s and motor vehicle deaths. That is a serious problem considering Alabama has not legalized recreational marijuana nor has the Alabama Medical Cannabis program even started. Families who have been personally impacted by these products have shared their stories with us, highlighting the urgent need for stronger enforcement and legislative action to address the safety issues caused by these synthetic THC products being sold under the guise of legal hemp. These products are clearly being used as recreational marijuana.
The dangers of psychoactive cannabis products are real, and lives are being damaged and lost due to their use. There is no public safety or health benefit in allowing psychoactive cannabis to be sold in the retail space; Alabamians do not want to legalize recreational drugs. We urge state lawmakers, law enforcement officials, educators, medical professionals, and concerned citizens to join us in the effort to raise public awareness and push for to protect Alabama’s communities—especially its children—from the dangers of psychoactive cannabis products.
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VIEW STATUS OF ALL BILLS WE'RE TRACKING
Click button to view bill list sorted by category. Click on a bill to see the sponsor, description and current status.
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