MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday met for the 13th day of its 2021 regular session.
Both chambers had an eventful day on their respective floors ahead of Wednesday’s committee-only day.
Here is a rundown of the day’s proceedings:
Alabama Senate
Tuesday’s biggest news was SB 214, the comprehensive gaming bill sponsored by Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston), failing by two votes in the upper chamber. Read more about that here.
Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) is also newly incensed by SB 162, a judicial reallocation bill that would affect Jefferson County, being moved from Judiciary to Finance and Taxation General Fund. He filibustered for over an hour on Tuesday before yielding so SB 214 could be considered. However, this could be an issue that pops up again moving forward.
You can view the Senate’s full floor activity from the day here.
Two related Senate bills to legalize and implement a lottery were introduced on Tuesday. It should be noted that a clean lottery bill fell 10 votes short in the House in 2019 after passing the Senate.
SB 318 is sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) and cosponsored by Sen. Jim McClendon (R-Springville); this would propose a constitutional amendment to legalize a lottery. SB 320 is sponsored by McClendon and cosponsored by Gudger and Marsh; this would be the enabling legislation for SB 318.
Marsh told reporters after SB 214 was defeated on Tuesday that he hopes a lottery, if implemented, would see at least partial revenue going towards the expansion of reliable, high-speed broadband internet access across Alabama; the package proposed by Gudger and McClendon, as currently written, would not explicitly benefit broadband expansion. Instead, proceeds would be split evenly between the General Fund and Education Trust Fund.
Alabama House
The lower chamber had a productive day on Tuesday, highlighted by the passage of the General Fund budget package, which now heads to the Senate. Read more here.
A controversial bill was also passed out of the House in HB 404.
However, the most hot-button item for the House on the day came via the Judiciary Committee’s public hearing and discussion on HB 445, Rep. Allen Treadaway’s (R-Morris) anti-rioting bill. This measure was sent to a subcommittee but is expected to come back up for a vote during the committee’s Wednesday, March 17, meeting.
You can view the House’s full floor activity on the day here.
Looking ahead
For the first time this session, the legislature is conducting a two-day legislative week; two-day weeks are the norm, however this session has flown by quicker than typical so far due to three-day weeks being implemented for the first four weeks.
That being said, the 14th day of the session will have to wait until Thursday. However, Wednesday will be a busy committee day, starting at 8:30 a.m. and running through the last meetings of the day beginning at 3:00 p.m.
The first bill to especially watch will be in Senate Judiciary, when Smitherman’s SB 265 comes up. This bill, in part, would prohibit an employer from discriminating against an applicant or employee based upon the applicant or employee’s hairstyle and would create a new cause of action against an employer who violates the statute.
In the same committee meeting, Sen. Arthur Orr’s (R-Decatur) Alabama Public Records Act will be on the agenda, as will McClendon’s Medicaid False Claims Act and Sen. Randy Price’s (R-Opelika) lifetime carry permit bill.
In Finance and Taxation Education at 9:30 a.m., Orr’s SB 298 to update the Alabama Innovation Act is set to be considered, among several other important bills.
At 11:00 a.m., Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development will take up HB 103, Rep. Jamie Kiel’s (R-Russellville) bill stipulating that the State of Alabama cannot selectively pick which types of businesses or other entities such as churches can open during states of emergency.
In Banking and Insurance at 11:30 a.m., Sen. Tom Butler’s (R-Madison) SB 227 will receive a public hearing. This bill concerning pharmacy benefit managers could very well lead to significant cost increases for Alabamians with private health insurance, as well as those on PEEHIP.
Another meeting to watch will be Senate Education Policy at 1:00 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield’s (R-Guntersville) SB 127 will be on the agenda, as will Sen. Shay Shelnutt’s (R-Trussville) SB 280.
SB 280 would ban Chinese Confucius Institutes from Alabama colleges and universities. Troy University and Alabama A&M currently house such institutes in the state.
The aforementioned SB 162 will receive a public hearing in Finance and Taxation General Fund at 3:00 p.m., and, given Smitherman’s impassioned floor comments, that could be a sight to see.
The House certainly has a full committee slate on Wednesday, as well.
At 9:00 a.m., Ethics and Campaign Finance has a one-bill agenda of Rep. Mike Ball’s (R-Madison) HB 105.
Ways and Means Education will meet at the same time; on its agenda is Rep. Terri Collins’ (R-Decatur) Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act, among others.
Public Safety and Homeland Security, also at 9:00 a.m., has an agenda that includes Rep. Tommy Hanes’ (R-Bryant) HB 157, the Second Amendment Preservation Act.
At 1:30 p.m., Judiciary will tackle a long agenda that concludes with SB 46, Sen. Tim Melson’s (R-Florence) medical marijuana bill. House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) has said the bill will need to go through the committees on Judiciary and Health.
Orr’s SB 113 is also on Judiciary’s agenda. This bill would ensure that facial recognition or other artificial intelligence technology results is not the only basis for an arrest.
During the same time slot, Health’s agenda will include Shelnutt’s SB 10, the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act. A public hearing is scheduled.
At 2:00 p.m., House Education Policy will take up an agenda that leads off with Hanes’ HB 9, the companion bill to SB 280. Hanes is the original sponsor of this legislation. HB 248 is also on that agenda; this is the companion bill to SB 127.
Finally, State Government’s agenda at 3:00 p.m. includes Rep. Danny Garrett’s (R-Trussville) HB 168. This bill, which would only apply to Jefferson and Mobile Counties, would mandate that county health officers get written approval from the state health officer before issuing an order or directive that relates to the control of a pandemic or outbreak of a disease during a state of emergency.
Livestreams are available for certain committee rooms and both chambers here.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
