The Senate passed a bill Thursday that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, along with what is defined as “divisive concepts,” in certain public institutions.

The bill, SB129, is sponsored by Republican Will Barfoot of Pike Road and passed on a party-line vote of 26-7 after more than six hours of debate. The bill lists public schools, universities, and other state institutions as areas where DEI programs and “split concepts” are not allowed.

The bill would require each public restroom in public institutions of higher education to be designated for use based on biological sex, and would also cover restroom use by transgender individuals.

Democratic senators spoke today about how the bill is unnecessary, dangerous and undermines the benefits of inclusion. During floor debate, Democratic lawmakers proposed several different amendments to the bill to prevent some unintended consequences.

These changes include protections against potential issues with Title IX funding, protections for the Alabama Office of Minority Affairs, and ensuring that inclusive and diverse public commissions are not affected by the law. It contains.

The amendment also removed original language that prevented teachers from mentioning that America was founded on slavery and racism. Despite the changes, Democrats were still unhappy with the bill, but they understood it would pass and wanted to make sure some safeguards were in place.

Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) called the bill “unnecessary” and questioned why there was a rush to pass it quickly. SB129 fell late Tuesday night and passed the Senate on Thursday after a committee meeting on Wednesday.

This year, there appears to be a concerted push by the ALGOP to get many of the culture war issues passed as quickly as possible. Last week, two bills by Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) targeting libraries and the Alabama Department of Public Records passed the Senate.

Sen. Roger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) questioned why his Republican colleagues believe that just because time has passed, certain issues regarding race and social issues have been resolved.

“Why do we think that just because time has passed, everything is okay now?” Smitherman says. “It's not okay, it's not for black people. It's not.”

The Alabama Senate Republican Caucus released statements from several members celebrating the passage of the bill.

“We are all created in the image of God and our unique qualities should be celebrated,” said Sen. Greg Reed, president pro tempore of the Alabama Senate. “But while we are all unique, there is more that unites us than divides us. Students attend school, learn, and prepare for bright futures. What this bill seeks to accomplish is an opportunity for unity, and we are grateful that all members of our organization were able to engage with this bill in a meaningful way.”

The bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives for possible passage.