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The House State Government Committee on Wednesday approved a stripped-down bill that would prohibit drag shows in public schools and libraries and blocks state entities from allowing minors to share facilities with members of the opposite sex.
HB67 by House Minority Leader Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle, is a straightforward version of a much more complex bill by Rep. Arnold Mooney, R-Indian Springs, originally intended to prevent drag shows in public places.
The bill also piggybacks on a controversy that arose about a transgender employee at Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, even though an investigation by the center found “no inappropriate behavior and malfeasance” from the employee. The employee had been targeted online with accusations of entering attending girls’ rooms inappropriately.
Stadthagen told the committee Wednesday that drag shows “with men dressing as women” are “indoctrinating our kids.”
“The problem is we don’t need kids in that type of environment, and that’s what this prevents,” Stadthagen said.
Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, told Stadthagen that she felt “so much of what we’re doing here is overreach when there really isn’t a problem there.”
Stadthagen asked Lands whether she thought out was appropriate for men to dress as women “in a sexual manner” in front of kids, and Lands responded that the bill makes no mention of dressing in a “sexual manner.”
Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, said that a drag show in his district had performers in sexual attire and children putting money in the pants of performers.
Two speakers spoke against the bill during a public hearing.
Jeonna Mims, the parent of a transgender child, said she has seen her child “have their spirit broken” by the state’s anti-trans legislation.
The committee also moved forward HB231, a bill by Rep. mandating daily performance of the pledge of allegiance and prayer “in the Judeo-Christian tradition” in public schools.
