Title: Alabama 2nd Special Session Wrap Up
Original CoS Document (slug): alabama-2nd-special-session-wrap-up
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Created: 2021-11-06 14:42:59
Updated: 2021-11-15 03:00:00
Published: 2021-11-08 03:00:00
Converted: 2025-04-14T21:14:10.727108862
The Alabama legislators ended their 2nd Special Session of the year going Sine Die on Thursday night. The main call for the session was for approval of the new Congressional, House, Senate, and the State Board of Education district lines. All were approved after contentious debate.
However, a push was made to bring two bills into play to address the Federal vaccine mandate. After comments made by the Speaker, that no bills would be introduced, agreement was made to allow two Senate bills, SB9 and SB15, to be carried over and brought into the House for consideration.
After much debate from both sides of the aisle, the legislature passed SB9, which provides exceptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates for religious and medical reasons. Here is the breakdown of SB9.
Senate Bill 9
SB 9 places additional burdens on employers by requiring employers to provide a standardized form and accept exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations for any employees who claim a broad religious or medical reasons for not participating in any stated company COVID-19 vaccination policies. Businesses will not be able to terminate an employee for non-compliance with stated company COVID-19 vaccination policies if the employee has completed an exemption form. The legislation applies to all businesses in Alabama, no exceptions.
a) Creates a standard employee form to file for vaccination exemption
b) Creates an Appeals Process for the employee should the employer deny the exemption
c) The employee will have 7 days to appeal to the Alabama Dept. of Labor Administrative Law Judge
d) The Alabama Department of Labor has 21 days from today to adopt emergency rules establishing the appeals process
e) An employer who denied an employee’s request for an exemption may not terminate the employee based on failing to receive a vaccination
f) An employer may terminate an employee for cause other than a COVID-19 vaccinate exemption
g) The law does not create a cause of action
h) The law sunsets on May 1, 2023
SB15 made an amendment to a previously passed bill SB267, the Alabama Vaccine Passport bill. Earlier in the year, a situation occurred in the Madison County area where local popup clinics were occurring. The major concern was that they were administering the vaccine to students from the age of 14 years without parent’s permission or knowledge, which was permitted by current Alabama law.
This caused much concern by parents and a call to action was put into place. The results led this proposed amendment to SB267.
Senate Bill 15
SB15 prohibits COVID-19 vaccinations for minors without parental consent. Prohibits an institution of education from inquiring about a minor student’s vaccination status without parental consent and to provide for enforcement by the Attorney General.
Though not everyone got everything they wanted in either bills, compromises were made in efforts to provide employers and employees protection from having to comply with the overreaching Federal COVID-19 mandates being forced by the administration.
The regular session for the Alabama Legislators starts on January 11, 2022 and discussions have begun on further legislation to protect the citizens of Alabama against unwarranted mandates or regulations.