Day 16 was defined by partisan warfare on the House floor. Democrats filibustered for hours over the special order calendar before Republicans invoked cloture twice to force votes on the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday and a bill criminalizing church disruption. Meanwhile, Rep. Mack Butler filed a major PSC accountability bill born from the Alabama Power lobbyist tape scandal, Paul Lee filled out his leadership team by naming James Lomax as majority whip, and over 200 crime survivors rallied at the Capitol. Fourteen legislative days remain.
Rep. Chris Sells (R-Greenville) passed the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday through the House on a party-line vote after more than two hours of debate and a cloture motion. The bill creates a tax-free weekend on the last full weekend in August, exempting firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies from the state’s 4% sales tax. Counties and municipalities can opt in to waive local taxes. Estimated annual cost to the Education Trust Fund: $360,000.
Democrats fought hard. Rep. Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) pushed for grocery tax relief instead. Rep. Barbara Drummond (D-Mobile) linked gun sales to recent violence and called for safe storage laws. Supporters cited the low fiscal impact and noted Alabama joins Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi in offering similar holidays.
Rep. Greg Barnes (R-Curry) passed the Worship Protection Act, making it a Class C felony—up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine—to intentionally disrupt a worship service through riot, unlawful protest, or disorderly conduct on religious property during scheduled services. Barnes emphasized the bill is narrowly tailored and protects all faiths equally.
Democrats objected forcefully. Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) argued that under the bill’s logic, Jesus overturning the money changers’ tables would make him a Class C felon. Rep. Sam Jones (D-Mobile) called it “overkill” and warned against criminalizing disagreement in church. Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) accused Republicans of legislating from Fox News headlines. Cloture was required before passage.
Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) passed SB240 allowing crime victims and parole applicants to participate in parole hearings virtually via phone or video conference. Barfoot said hearings often last only minutes, but victims travel from across the state to attend. “Individuals from around the state are having to travel great distances to be here for several hours only to speak for a couple minutes,” Barfoot said. The bill heads to the House.
Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) filed the most significant PSC accountability bill of the session. HB475 requires the Alabama Public Service Commission to hold annual public hearings with utilities to discuss rates, cost trends, reliability, infrastructure investment, and competitiveness with peer states. The bill bans utilities from passing lobbying, advertising, and grant costs on to ratepayers. Commissioners who fail to hold hearings face impeachment.
Butler was blunt about the bill’s origin: the leaked recording of Alabama Power lobbyist R.B. Walker encouraging Energy Alabama’s John Dodd to support Rep. Chip Brown’s now-pulled HB392, which would have made the PSC an appointed body. “It infuriated the public,” Butler said. “The PSC has not had a rate hearing in 44 years, and we are paying the highest rates in the region—40% more than TVA.”
Energy Alabama responded that while they appreciate the effort, a hearing alone is not the same as a formal rate case with full evidentiary review and discovery. Butler said he expects to file amendments as the bill moves to the Transportation, Utilities & Infrastructure Committee.
New legislation would require courts to pay victim restitution before court fines, fees, and costs in criminal cases. Prioritizes making victims whole over filling government coffers.
Majority Leader Paul Lee (R-Dothan) made his first major appointment, tapping Rep. James Lomax (R-Huntsville), 34, as majority whip. Lomax was first elected in 2022 and most recently passed HB214 banning foreign nationals from influencing Alabama elections. He succeeds Rep. Brock Colvin (R-Albertville). Rep. Chip Brown (R-Hollingers Island) continues as vice chairman of the House Republican Caucus.
“Alabamians expect results, not noise,” Lomax said. The full House GOP leadership is now set: Speaker Ledbetter, Majority Leader Lee, Whip Lomax, and Caucus Vice Chair Brown.
More than 200 crime survivors and families of violent crime victims marched to the Capitol steps for the first-ever “Survivors Speak Alabama” day of action. Organized by Crime Survivors Speak, the rally demanded expanded access to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Fund and called for the state’s first trauma recovery center.
Advocates are pushing HB255 (Rep. Bedsole, R-Alabaster) and SB192 to extend the victim compensation filing deadline from one year to two years. HB255 already passed the House 101–0 and is pending in Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee. Rep. Travis Hendrix (D-Birmingham) spoke at the rally: “I lost two brothers to gun violence, so when I tell y’all I understand, I understand.”
Democrats spent over an hour debating the special order calendar before a single bill was taken up, arguing their proposals are being excluded from floor consideration. The filibuster strategy continued through both major bills, with Rep. A.J. McCampbell (D) describing it as a deliberate slowdown to ensure dissenting viewpoints get heard. Republicans invoked cloture twice—requiring a three-fifths vote to end debate—to force the day’s votes through.
The procedural fight is likely to continue as the session enters its back half with hundreds of bills still pending. With 807 bills introduced (489 House, 318 Senate) and only 14 days left, the calendar battle will intensify.