Republicans in the Alabama Senate End Debate and Pass Contentious Law

GOP legislators demonstrated their procedural strength
by firmly holding 27 of the Senate's 34 seats, which is significantly more than the 21 required to halt discussion by cloture. The chamber's Republican lieutenant governor, Will Ainsworth, refused to recognize Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton's (D-Greensboro) repeated attempts to speak. Instead, when Republicans introduced a slew of legislation that seemed to be specifically tailored to their conservative constituency, the microphone stayed frigid for Democratic voices.

A proposed constitutional amendment that would require public schools to play "The Star-Spangled Banner" at least once a week, a bill mandating that porn filters be enabled by default on devices linked to the internet, and a requirement that app shops confirm users' ages were among the measures that were passed. Other laws addressed contentious topics such as changing the composition of the state's Department of Archives and History, modifying the way voter rolls are kept up to date, and prohibiting the use of foreign driver's licenses as legitimate forms of identification.

Thursday's session was a significant change for Democrats,
who frequently use Senate rules to postpone or filibuster legislation—sometimes for hours. It was more than only political theater. It was a sign.

After the session, Singleton expressed his frustration at being excluded from the process by saying, "This was not business as usual."

In a statement defending the move, Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) described the day's work as a manifestation of Alabama's "fundamental principles."

"Today, the Alabama Senate concentrated on issues and legislation that represent the fundamental values, morality, and beliefs of the typical citizen of our state," he stated. The majority of Alabamans support the following principles: "protecting children from exposure to pornography, ensuring our elections from fraud and foreign intervention, fostering patriotism, and holding public institutions accountable."

However, there was more to Thursday's power play than merely "values." It has to do with control. It had to do with the story. Additionally, it was about speed—passing red-meat legislation without going through the more drawn-out and taxing public debate process.

Gudger said the pace will only quicken with just seven parliamentary days left in the session: "Intense debate and long hours will be the norm, not the exception," he declared.
"But that is the hallmark of true leadership."

Still, the Senate proceedings felt more like a muzzle than leadership to many who watched, particularly those who prioritize process above partisanship. And it is evident that conflict is displacing consensus as lawmakers race to the end of the session.