Alabama’s House of Representatives approved two bills on Thursday, including one that would restrict public funding for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The other bill passed by the Republican-led house would restrict absentee ballot assistance by charging individuals for helping others with absentee voting.
The first bill, SB-129, sponsored by Senator Will Barfoot (R), would restrict funding to school initiatives that would enforce concepts and require students to participate in “any program, class, training, seminar, or other event where attendance is based on an individual’s race, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, or sexual orientation.” The bill comes after several conservative politicians have taken action against DEI initiatives in public agencies and universities. For instance, Florida passed the Stop Woke Act, attacking discussion and promotion of concepts centered on race, national origin, and sex in public education or employee training and instruction.
Democratic members called the bill a regression toward the progress made in providing opportunities for minorities in the state. Additionally, other Democratic leaders are calling for an amendment to be added to the bill to protect First Amendment speech under the US Constitution in an academic setting. This is because the bill includes a list of actions that would be forbidden in instructional settings that could potentially leave employees susceptible to termination if they violate the bill.
The second bill, SB-1, which Senator Garlan Gudger (R) sponsored, would make it illegal to receive payment for assisting someone in completing an absentee ballot or application. In drafting the bill, supporters attempted to address “ballot harvesting,” which involves a third party collecting and returning completed ballots for individuals. In this scenario, a ballet harvester will repeat this process by delivering as many ballots as possible before the deadline.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has called out against the proposal of SB-1 in a press release, calling the bill a voter-suppression tactic. The ACLU said, “This is an egregious piece of legislation and if it becomes law, would damage the fabric of the democratic process by limiting a fundamental right that is guaranteed under the US Constitution.”
Both bills will return to the Alabama Senate for consideration of the House changes.
