Culture war bills likely to dominate Alabama lawmakers’ day: What to expect

The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday is scheduled to consider a slate of culture-war type bills that generally spark sharp disagreement between the Republican majority and the Democrats.

They include bills on posting the Ten Commandments in public schools, state enforcement of immigration laws, drag shows, and discussions of gender identity.

Most are familiar topics at the State House and have generally drawn opposition from Democrats. But Republicans hold almost three-fourths of the seats in the House.

All are House bills that would still have to get through the Senate to become law.

Here is the lineup:

HB437 would create a system to alert people for shark attacks, which comes in response to the attacks that happened the same day last year, including the one survived by Mountain Brook teen Lulu Gribbin.

Gribbin spoke on the House floor today after an introduction by U.S. Sen. Katie Britt.

Update: The House quickly passed the bill, by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, by a vote of 102-0.

HB247 would rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America and require state and local agencies to recognize that, an endorsement of President Trump’s idea.

Update: The House passed the bill by a vote of 72-26.

HB179 would allow public schools to hire volunteer chaplains.

Update: The House passed the bill with bipartisan support, 91-4.

HB7 would increase the involvement of state and local police in immigration enforcement.

Update: The House passed the bill by a vote of 74-26.

HB178 would require posting the Ten Commandments in public schools.

Update: The House passed the bill by a vote of 81-11.

HB67 would prohibit public schools and public libraries from hosting drag shows.

Update: The House passed the bill by a vote of 76-9 with nine abstentions.

HB244 would expand a prohibition on discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools through 12th grade. Current law goes through fifth grade.

Update: The House passed the bill by a vote of 74-15 with seven abstentions.

HB165 would recognize Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery, as a state holiday.

Update: The House passed the bill by a vote of 85-4 with 10 abstentions.

HB14 would allow the governor and attorney general to jointly appoint an interim police chief for cities where they determine there is an ongoing threat to public safety.

Update: The House did not discuss or vote on the bill.

Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, was the first to speak on the nature of the agenda for the day.

Hall said most of the bills concerned issues that she did not think would make a difference in the lives of people that lawmakers represent.

Hall said they should be talking about issues like hungry, children, good teachers, medicine for senior citizens, and mental health care.

“Let’s focus on those things that are going to make a difference,” Hall said.

When the bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico came up, Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, asked what would be the practical impact. She asked if it would boost tourism, help the port of Mobile, or reduce the price of eggs.

“We’re focusing on things that are not going to move Alabama forward,“ Drummond said.

Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Montgomery, spoke more favorably about the bill, saying the name Gulf of America would recognize all of the continent of North America, which includes 23 nations, including Mexico.

Rep. Craig Lipscomb, R-Gadsden, said it was fitting to rename the gulf, saying it would recognize the predominance of the United States in the region.

After about six or so Democrats spoke in opposition to the bill, the Republican majority voted to end the debate on the Gulf of America bill.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 74-26. It goes to the Senate.