Expansion of Alabama 'Don't Say Gay' bill dies in on final day of legislative session

Alabama legislators pushing an expansion of a statewide 'Don't Say Gay' bill nearly brought it closer to being a law.  But they stumbled at the finish line.

From The Alabama Reflector

A bill that would have expanded Alabama’s “Don’t Say Gay” law died on the final day of the 2024 regular session. HB 130, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would have extended Alabama’s prohibition on discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to fifth grade to kindergarten to eighth grade. It also would have banned flags or other insignia indicating gender identity or sexual orientation. Butler said in a Friday phone interview that he didn’t know what the issues were in the final days of the session but said there was a filibuster in the Senate “which is not uncommon.” 

 So what exactly happened? According to LGBTQ Nation, the bill died because of confusion regarding what it meant:

 Alabama public school teachers are already prohibited from leading discussions on LGBTQ+ identities through fifth grade. The new legislation, H.B. 130, would extend that restriction through 12th grade. The bill would also remove a line from existing law stating that teachers cannot discuss LGBTQ+ identities “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards” and completely ban such discussions. Opponents of the bill said that it would force LGBTQ+ students and staff to go back into the closet in schools since the law was vague about what discussions, exactly, would be restricted.

 . . . Some of the confusion about the bill was discussed in the Alabama Senate, where state Sen. Larry Strutts (R) asked whether it would apply to bumper stickers on cars in school parking lots. Butler replied that school property doesn’t include parking lots.

 “The property is not the parking lot?” Stutts asked. “Well, we’re talking about the actual building,” Butler replied. Butler later told reporters that the concern was “ridiculous” but admitted that confusion around the bill may have prevented it from passing. 

 And apparently, according to LGBTQ Nation, this was just one of the many problems. Another one sprang up after someone attempted to add an amendment about the state's Space Camp,

Butler also reportedly tried to add an amendment – which failed – specifically stating that the state’s Space Camp may not teach children about LGBTQ+ issues. The amendment was issued in reaction to the revelation that a single employee of the Huntsville Space Camp is transgender. The revelation angered a slew of parents and politicians who called for the employee to be fired.

Several state and federal lawmakers targeted the trans employee. However, she was defended by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and, as far as I know, has been able to keep her job.