ALCAP leader evaluates 2013 state legislative session

ALCAP leader evaluates 2013 state legislative session

The 2013 Alabama Legislative Session has ended and, as usual, there were some “wins” and some “losses” on the issues that Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) follows.

The biggest win was the passage of House Bill (HB) 57, sponsored by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, R-Pelham. This new law requires abortion clinics in Alabama to meet the same safety standards as those required by ambulatory surgical centers in the state. In spite of threats against McClurkin’s life and security guards in the Statehouse having to stay by her side and guard her office door, the bill passed both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley. If abortion clinics cannot meet these new standards, they will have to close their doors permanently.

The second bill we are celebrating is Senate Bill (SB) 4, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa. After passing the Senate earlier in the session, this bill — referred to as the “Foreign Law Bill” — passed the House of Representatives in the closing minutes of the last day of the session (just before midnight). It is a Constitutional Amendment and therefore does not require the governor’s signature.

The amendment states that it “prohibits the application of foreign law in violation of rights guaranteed natural citizens by the United States and Alabama constitutions and the laws and public policy of the state, without application to business entities.” It will be on the November 2014 election ballot to be voted on by the people.

In the “loss” column were two bills that ALCAP tried to stop. HB 9, the “Homebrew Bill,” was sponsored by Rep. Mac McCutcheon, R-Capshaw. It passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by the governor.

This bill allows individuals to brew beer, wine or mead (a honey-based beer) in their homes (up to 15 gallons per quarter) and transport up to 10 gallons to tasting competitions and festivals. ALCAP’s concerns with this bill had to do with the inability of authorities to regulate this practice, the exposure of homebrewed alcoholic beverages to children in the home, the effects that transporting gallon jugs will have on the open container law in Alabama and the issue of “incrementalism” — will the home-brewers be back each year wanting the limits increased and will distillers now want the same freedom to produce their moonshine?

Another important loss was SB 446, sponsored by Sen. Bryan Taylor, R-Prattville. This bill would “provide enhanced penalties” for promoting gambling, conspiring to promote gambling or possessing a gambling device “if the defendant profits from gambling activity in an amount exceeding $10,000.” The bill would have permanently shut down all of the electronic “bingo” gambling halls that keep popping up throughout Alabama because the penalty is not significant enough to discourage such operations.

Disappointed in Dial

Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, filibustered the bill and only 18 senators were willing to cloture his filibuster (21 votes were needed). We applaud those who tried to pass this legislation and we encourage the people living in Dial’s district to let him know of their disappointment in his attempts to aid illegal gambling operations in Alabama.

Let me encourage Alabama Baptists to go to www.ALCAP.com and sign up to receive our “ALCAP Alerts!” especially when the Legislature is in session. When you receive these alerts, it is important for you to call and/or email your senator and/or house member and voice your opinion. They do listen when a voter calls.

Please continue to pray for and financially support ALCAP and our educational ministry, American Character Builders (www.AmericanCharacterBuilders.org), through direct donations and through the Cooperative Program. Without the support of Alabama Baptists, this ministry would not exist to promote pro-life, pro-family and pro-moral issues in this state.

Editor’s Note — Joe Godfrey is executive director of Alabama Citizens Action Program.