Sen. Allen’s National Anthem in Schools Bill Moves Forward
A bill sponsored by Cottondale State Senator Gerald Allen (R-21), has been approved by the Senate Education Policy Committee and sent to the upper chamber for floor debate. Senate Bill 5 would, "...require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours."
Allen pre-filed the legislation in June after a similar bill passed the senate but failed in the house during last year's legislative session.
“It’s a great bill to celebrate the anniversary of our country,” Allen told committee members during discussion. July 4, 2026, will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Some Democrat committee members voiced reservations about the legislation. They questioned the bill’s provisions adding the law to the Alabama State Constitution instead of merely going into effect as traditional statute.
Requests by those committee members for Allen to remove the constitutional amendment component were declined by the longtime state lawmaker.
During debate over Allen's bill last year, Democratic lawmakers criticized the bill, citing concerns over a third stanza of the anthem that some say includes racist language. Allen's bill this year would require only the first stanza.
Mobile Sen. Vivian Davis Figures (D-33) told Allen she couldn’t support the bill as a part of the constitution and that she might offer an amendment when it goes to the Senate.
The bill passed the committee 6-3 with all Democrat members opposing it. If passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Ivey, the amendment would be put to a public vote during the November General Election.
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