Special to the Enquirer

Rep. Scott Stadthagen’s (R-Hartselle) K-12 bathroom safety bill, HB 322, has passed the Alabama House and Alabama Senate today and is now in route to Governor Ivey. Upon her signature, Stadthagen’s bill will become law.

HB322 requires students who attend Alabama’s public K-12 schools to use the bathroom that matches the gender that appears on their birth certificate passed the Alabama House earlier in the legislative session. Sen. Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) shepherded the legislation through the Senate during today’s debate. When initially introducing this legislation, Stadthagen referred to several rapes that have occurred in Alabama’s public schools and also referenced conversations with school administrators who felt their hands were tied when it came to providing gender-specific safety policies in Alabama’s public schools.

“Today the legislative process worked. Both the House and Senate had healthy debates on all aspects of this legislation and it passed both chambers overwhelmingly,” Stadthagen said after the bill passed. “This law will help protect our students in bathrooms. This is a bill that parents and students across Alabama want. This is a bill that will make our schools safer for children.”

When the bill was under consideration on the Senate floor, Sen. Shay Shelnutt (R-Trussville) added an amendment to Stadthagen’s legislation that mirrors the law recently passed in Florida which prohibits classroom instruction or discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity with any public school student in grades K-5. That amendment was approved by both the House and Senate.

The bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature.