House committees advance school prayer bills

The House State Government Standing Committee on Tuesday advanced a proposed constitutional amendment requiring daily prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, hours after the House Education Policy Standing Committee moved a nearly identical version of the same legislation under a different bill number.

Representative Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, first presented the measure earlier in the day, where discussion centered on changes made to earlier drafts.

“It had a religious text, which is a very broad thing, and so we changed that, took it out to a prayer and a devotion,” said Representative Terri Collins, R-Decatur. “If you want to participate, you go to where they choose, and you participate, and it’s very simple now. It made it a little more streamlined.”

But lawmakers quickly focused on the bill’s enforcement mechanism, which would reduce state funding for school boards that do not comply. Representative Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, reminded Ingram that she had previously objected to the 25 percent funding penalty.

“I just cannot see voting for something that is going to reduce funding to our kids,” said Drummond. “With all of the issues that we have in the state of Alabama, I can’t support something that is going to take money away from our children.”

Ingram added that he was willing to work on the language.

An amendment was introduced to reduce the penalty from 25 percent to 12.5 percent and to limit any withholding strictly to administrative or central office expenditures, shielding teacher salaries, classroom materials, transportation and special education services. The amendment also allowed withheld funds to be restored once a district came into compliance.

Representative Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, echoed concerns about struggling systems. 

“It’s really hard for me to stomach. If there was no punitive damage… I could go along with it, but I just can’t in its current form,” said Daniels.

The amended version ultimately received a favorable report.

Later that day, Ingram brought what members acknowledged was the same proposal before the House State Government Committee as HB511. When asked whether it was the same bill previously considered, he explained that it had been re-filed “out of abundance of caution” after confusion about the earlier bill’s status. 

The second committee adopted a substitute version. Under that substitute, every local school board shall adopt a policy requiring each school day to begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer broadcast over the public address system. “No student may be required to recite a prayer,” the substitute specifies, but the prayer itself would be mandatory as part of the daily routine.

Unlike the amended version approved earlier, this substitute retained the 25 percent funding penalty if a school board fails to comply. Ingram defended keeping it in place.

“It’s got to be some kind of clawback,” said Ingram, pointing to what he described as uneven compliance with an existing law requiring the pledge. “We’ve passed the pledge… and we’ve got a large percentage of the schools that are not participating.”

The House State Government committee also held a public hearing, where speakers opposed the bill.

One opponent warned that tying funding to religious policy creates coercion.

“When funding is tied to religious policy decisions, we’re not being neutral. We’re pressuring people to comply,” said the speaker.

Another speaker said labeling participation as voluntary does not eliminate social pressure. 

“Kids notice who participates in public faith-based activities and who doesn’t. Students who opt out are singled out or labeled as outsiders,” said the speaker.

Representative Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, framed the measure as a restoration of tradition. 

“It’s really important that we stop propagating this idea that public education is somehow morally and spiritually neutral. That neutrality is a lie. It’s impossible. And we need to, therefore, give our children what’s good and right,” said Yarbrough.

Ingram described the proposal as a matter of faith rather than politics. Asked what prompted him to pursue it again, he answered, “I think it was God. This wasn’t a political idea.”

The committee ultimately approved HB511 as substituted on a roll call vote.

With two versions now moving forward, further negotiations are expected before the legislation reaches the House floor.