A bill that would have expanded Alabama’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill will not move out of committee this year.

House Education Policy Committee chair Terri Collins, R-Decatur, said HB 354, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would not come to a vote after a public hearing where members of the LGBTQ+ community said the bill could exacerbate mental health issues among LGBTQ Alabamians and possibly lead to an increase in suicides.

Jesse Alex, a resident of the Wiregrass, said that many LGBTQ+ kids can’t rely on their parents for support. Teachers, counselors and coaches sometimes become that adult, he said.

“The only reason why a child would not be open about that adversity in their homes is because of fear of facing abuse or getting kicked out,” Alex said. “Removing the ability of teachers to talk about these issues robs these kids of their safety. It puts them in further danger of abuse and neglect behind closed doors.”

The Legislature voted in 2022 to ban discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through the fifth grade. Butler’s bill would have extended that prohibition to the eighth grade.

“This just keeps a school from pushing an agenda that you can clearly see, if you watch the media, and yes, it is happening in Alabama,” Butler said. “Some of you may not be aware of it, but I promise you it is happening right now.”

The bill would also require the State Board of Education to create procedures for informing parents about any changes in a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health services or monitoring and prohibits local boards of education from adopting policies that go against these procedures. The bill states that parental permission must be obtained before administering specific health screenings or questionnaires to a student.

Collins said Wednesday evening she thought Butler’s intent was not clear enough in the bill, and that he needed to focus it. The public hearing, she said, aimed to allow Butler and Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, to hear from constituents about improving the bill.

“I think the fact that he’s wanting teachers to just teach what their curriculum is, and not push an agenda,” Collins said. “And I think he’ll focus more on that aspect of it.”

Collins, who said she never intended to vote on the legislation this year, said that she thinks Butler had some good conversation with the people that spoke at the public hearing.

“He spoke about several of those conversations, so I think some of that will influence that as well,” she said.