The Alabama Legislature adjourned April 9 from this year's session, the last in this quadrennium that marks the final round of lawmaking before senators and representatives are up for election.

In the 30 legislative days this winter and spring, the legislature approved four bills that will end up on ballots as proposals to amend the state constitution. Three involve K-12 public schools, and one addresses vacancies in the state's top offices.

Constitutional amendment bills must be passed in each house by a three-fifths vote of all the members elected and do not require the approval of the governor. The legislature will determine the election the referendums will be submitted to voters, but it won't be on the ballots for May's primaries because the election must be at least three months after session adjourns.

At the end of legislators' four-year terms, bills that did not make it through both chambers and to the governor's desk are effectively dead and must be refiled next year from scratch.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed more than 50 bills into law last week and still has a few more days to do so.

Baldwin County’s Legislative Delegation includes Sens. Greg Albritton, R-22, Chris Elliott, R-32, and Vivian David Figures, D-33, and Reps. Donna Givens, R-64, Alan Baker, R-66, Jennifer Fidler, R-94, Frances Holk-Jones, R-95, Matt Simpson, R-96, Shane Stringer, R-102, and Brett Easterbrook, 65.

Next week, read about the bills they wrote this year.

HB 380 — This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to public K-12 education, to provide a process for two or more county boards of education to form a consolidated school system. It requires the State Board of Education to conduct an impact study on the potential effects of the consolidation. It provides a procedure for protesting the proposed consolidation of two or more county school systems. It also requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules as necessary for implementation.

Approved April 8. Approved April 9.

House vote: 96-2, 5 abstained

Senate vote: 30-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

HB 511 — This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to public K-12 schools, to require each local board of education to adopt a policy requiring that the Pledge of Allegiance be conducted to the United States flag at the commencement of each school day in each public K-12 school. It requires each local board of education, within 90 days of the ratification of this amendment, to vote whether to adopt a policy allowing employees and students to voluntarily participate in a daily prayer and a reading of the Bible or other religious text and provides for the submission of a consent form to participate. It prohibits the prayer and reading from being conducted as a substitute for instructional time or in the presence of any individual who has not consented to participate. It authorizes violations of this amendment to be reported to the state superintendent of education and for investigation by the State Department of Education. It requires the state superintendent of education, upon the determination that a local board of education or public school has shown a continued pattern of intentional refusal to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance in accordance with this amendment, to withhold 25% of state funding allocated to the offending local board of education. It requires the state superintendent of education, upon the determination that a local board of education has failed to hold a timely vote on whether to authorize the policy relating to prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text, to withhold 25% of state funding allocated to the offending local board of education. It also authorizes the legislature to further reduce the funding to a local board of education following continued violations.

Approved April 8. Approved April 9.

House vote: 94-3, 6 abstained

Senate vote: 30-0

Baldwin delegation vote: 10-0

SB 5 — This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to public K-12 schools, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at least once per week during school hours.

Approved April 9. Approved April 13.

Senate vote: 23-5

House vote: 75-27, 2 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 8-0; Vivian Davis Figures voted against. Brett Easterbrook marked as P (not present/not voting).

SB 271 — Under the state constitution, if the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor becomes governor, and if both the office of governor and lieutenant governor become vacant more than 60 days before a general election at which state officers are elected, a governor and lieutenant governor shall be elected at that election for the unexpired term. The state constitution also provides for the order of succession of state officers to serve as governor during any vacancy of both governor and lieutenant governor. This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to provide that if the office of lieutenant governor becomes vacant more than 60 days before a general election at which state officers are elected, a lieutenant governor shall be elected at that election for the unexpired term.

Editor's note: To clarify, the Senate's vote listed with this bill's inital publishing in The Baldwin Times on Friday, April 10, reflected the chamber's vote on an amendment proposed by the House of Representatives. That vote was 25-0 with two abstentions, approving the amendment. The amendment proposes an addition to the state constitution to authorize the legislature to set the salary of the lieutenant governor and officers of the legislature; and to require any expenditure of legislative funds for travel to be approved by a legislative officer. The original Senate vote was 29-0 with Figures and Albritton marked as P.

Approved March 31. Enacted April 2.

Senate vote: 25-0, 2 abstained

House vote: 66-0, 32 abstained

Baldwin delegation vote: 9-0; Figures marked P.

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The U.S. House of Representatives did not meet last week, April 6 through April 10, according to the schedule posted on www.House.gov. No floor or committee business was conducted during that time, as members were in their districts for official work, constituent meetings and outreach. The House of Representatives is scheduled to convene Tuesday, April 14.

U.S. SENATE

The U.S. Senate held brief pro forma sessions April 6 and April 9, with no legislative business conducted. These sessions are used to keep the chamber technically in session during a recess period, with no floor or committee activity expected. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene for regular business Monday, April 13. The full Senate calendar is available at www.Senate.gov.