ALCOHOL
The House passed HB119 this week, allowing alcohol to be sold at a local drive-thru. When speaking against this bill, ALCAP pointed out that it will be difficult to check for IDs or determine if the person is already overly-intoxicated and should not be purchasing additional alcohol. We also pointed out that the ultimate goal of this legislation is to allow fast-food restaurants to eventually sell alcoholic beverages along with their food items. We will now try to stop this bill from advancing in the Senate.
ACTION TO TAKE: Please contact your State Senator and ask him/her to oppose HB119. Click on the link. At the ALCAP website click on the “find my legislator” button and enter your full street address. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Alabama State Legislator.
Also, this week, the House Economic Development & Tourism Committee gave a favorable report to HB234 by Rep. Neil Rafferty. This bill will allow alcoholic beverages to be sold out of food trucks. The problems with this legislation are numerous, and the bill was very vague. The sponsor assured the committee that he would work on amendments that would address some of the many concerns with the bill before it goes to the floor of the House for a vote. ALCAP pointed out that this bill will basically set up roving entertainment districts and that most entertainment districts pay for additional police protection, which the food trucks would not be able to provide. One “non-mobile” entertainment district had to shut down after a brawl broke out in the area. How will these mobile bars be able to provide similar police protection if they are constantly changing their locations? In addition, the food trucks could be parked near schools or churches and under-aged students might easily have access to the alcohol.
ACTION TO TAKE: Please contact your House Member and ask him/her to oppose HB234. Click on the link. At the ALCAP website click on the “find my legislator” button and enter your full street address. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Alabama State Legislator.
VULNERABLE CHILD COMPASSION & ACCOUNTABILITY PROTECTION ACT (VCAP)
The VCAP Bill (SB184), sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, was given a favorable report by the Senate Healthcare Committee and will now go to the full Senate for a vote. This bill protects minors from abusive parents who might want to use hormone blockers and/or surgical procedures to alter the sexual appearance of a child. The bill allows for the use of hormone blockers for legitimate reasons, but not for the purpose of changing a child’s sex. ALCAP supports this bill and its companion House bill (HB150), sponsored by Rep. Wes Allen.
A similar bill passed the Senate last year and had broad support in the House but was blocked from being debated on the House floor on the last day of the 2021 Legislative Session. We hope that this year it will be passed by both houses and signed into law by the Governor.
ACTION TO TAKE: Please contact your State Senator and ask him/her to vote YES on SB184. Click on the link. At the ALCAP website click on the “find my legislator” button and enter your full street address. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Alabama State Legislator.
GAMBLING
Last week, Sen. Greg Albritton indicated that he had the votes to pass a package of gambling-expansion bills he plans to introduce. However, this week, Sen. Albritton told us that he was having difficulty “making everybody happy.” When he changes something in the bill to please one party, the other parties involved don’t like the change. He commented this week that he has managed to make everybody mad. That’s good for the citizens of Alabama! It means that the pro-gambling forces continue to be caught in “greedlock” and gambling expansion in Alabama will be kept “at bay.” Of course, that could all change if the different factions reach an agreement, so ALCAP will continue to fight gambling expansion in our great state.
ACTION TO TAKE: Please contact your State Senator and House Member and ask him/her to oppose any and all gambling expansion legislation that may be introduced. Click on the link. At the ALCAP website click on the “find my legislator” button and enter your full street address. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Alabama State Legislator. Also, question all candidates in the upcoming elections about their support or opposition to gambling expansion in Alabama. If they say, “I think the people should vote,” tell them that we live in a representative republic and we are voting to send people to Montgomery to stand up against the gambling bosses who want to buy this state. For more information concerning the gambling issue visit www.alcap.com and www.StopPredatoryGambling.org. ALCAP urges everyone to PRAY for God’s will to be done and for the legislators and Governor to do what is right and what is best for the citizens of our state.