We were honored to have Jason Rapert speak at the ALCAP Prayer Breakfast. He is the President of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. NACL is known for its national conference held each June in Lynchburg, VA with ALCAP staff and multiple Alabama lawmakers in attendance annually. Be sure to click the images below to check out the Priority Talk interview with Rapert and his book, SAVE THE NATION: The Crisis In America & How To Secure The Republic.
Legislation ALCAP is Monitoring
The Ten Commandments in Schools (HB 216/SB 99): The companion House and Senate bills sponsored by Rep. Mark Gidley (Gadsden) and Sen. Keith Kelley (Weaver) would require Alabama public schools to post the Ten Commandments with a historical explanation in certain middle and high school classrooms and common areas. Schools would only have to do this if the posters or the money to buy them are donated.
Status: HB 216 was reported out of the House Committee on Education Policy on March 4th, reported out of the Judiciary committee on March 18th, and currently awaits a House floor vote. We are hopeful this legislation continues to move forward. SB 99 passed the Senate floor on March 31st, and has been sent to the House Education Policy Committee.
School Chaplains (HB 8/SB 305): These companion bills by Rep. Mark Gidley (Gadsden) and Sen. Rodger Smitherman (Birmingham) would authorize each local boards of education to vote on whether to accept a campus chaplain as a volunteer to provide services at the request of a teacher.
Status: SB 305 was referred to the Senate Education Policy committee on February 12th, and made it out of committee on the 18th. It passed the Senate floor on February 25th. HB 8 passed the House on February 24th, and passed the Senate Education Policy Committee on April 1st, and now heads to the entire body for consideration. We expect to see a final vote on this week.
Child Support from Conception (SB 47): This bill by Sen. Merika Coleman (Birmingham) requires that if a child-support order is established within the first year after a child’s birth, it may be made retroactive to cover up to nine months before the child was born. This bill has a strong pro-life message that every child is precious and worthy of support from the moment of conception.
Status: SB 47 was introduced in the Senate on January 13th, passed the Judiciary committee on February 18th, it passed the Senate floor on March 12th, and now awaits movement in the House Judiciary committee.
Sex Education Bill (SB 209): By Senator Shay Shelnutt, this bill requires Alabama public K-12 schools to teach sex education exclusively through a sexual risk avoidance (abstinence-focused) framework. It also mandates parental notice and opt-out rights, bars schools from using outside providers that do not support abstinence or are connected to abortion services
Status: The bill was introduced to the Senate Education Policy committee on January 27th and reported out of committee on February 11th. It passed the Senate floor on February 19th. It passed the House Education Policy committee on March 17th, and we expect a House floor vote this week.
Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance (HB 511): This bill by Rep. Reed Ingram proposes a constitutional amendment requiring public K-12 schools to conduct The Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each school day it also requires local school boards to vote on whether to allow voluntary daily prayer and Bible or other religious text readings with written consent.
Status: The bill was introduced on February 25th in the House committee on State Government, reported out of committee on March 4th, passed the House floor on March 10th. It then went on to the Senate Education Policy Committee and passed committee on March 17th. It now awaits a vote on the Senate floor. This is one of the final steps in the process!
Parental Fundamental Rights (HB 148): This bill by Rep . Kenneth Paschal proposes a constitutional amendment to establish that parents have a fundamental right to direct the education, upbringing, care, custody, and control of their children. The amendment would elevate existing statutory protections for parental rights into the Alabama Constitution.
Status: The bill was introduced on January 13th in the House Judiciary committee and reported out of committee on March 18th.
