Abnormal Interests

The complete text of HR30 is as follows:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To prohibit the expenditure or use of public funds or public facilities by any state agency or public entity for the purchase, production, or promotion of printed or electronic materials or activities that sanction, recognize, foster, or promote a lifestyle or actions prohibited by the sodomy and sexual misconduct laws of the state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. In order to establish and insure good public policy and accountability in the use of state resources, it shall be the policy of the state of Alabama that:

(a) No public funds or public facilities shall be used by any state agency, public school, public library, or public college or university for the purchase, production, or promotion of printed or electronic materials or activities that, directly or indirectly, sanction, recognize, foster, or promote a lifestyle or actions prohibited by the sodomy and sexual misconduct laws of the state of Alabama. No public funds shall be used for the purchase of textbooks or library materials that recognize or promote homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle or encourages or proposes to public school children that they have a legitimate right to decide or choose illegal conduct.

(b) No state agency, public school, public library, or public college or university, directly or indirectly, shall require or encourage the entity’s members or employees to provide information or materials or engage in any activities that, directly or indirectly, sanction, recognize, foster, or promote a lifestyle or actions prohibited by the sodomy and sexual misconduct laws of the state of Alabama.

(c) Any public employee who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(d) This section shall not be construed to be a prior restraint of the First Amendment protected speech. It shall apply only to state agencies, public schools, public libraries, and public colleges and universities in the use of public funds and public facilities.
Section 2. The provisions of this act are severable. If any part of this act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, that declaration shall not affect the part which remains.

Section 3. All laws or parts of laws which conflict with this act are repealed.

Section 4. This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law."

CBS reports that the scope defined in Section 1a has been narrowed to exclude colledge libraries and the "classics."

Here's Allen's bio from the legislature's web site.

Representative Gerald Allen was elected in 1994. He was born on February 8, 1950, and received B.S. Degree in Education from the University of Alabama. He and his wife, Sheila, are the parents of three children: Wes, Kellie, and Jill. Representative Allen serves as owner of CASHCO Marketing and is a Deacon for Gilgal Baptist Church. A member of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce and Civitan Club, Representative Allen is a member of the University of Alabama Alumni Association, works as a booster for Holt High School, and is part of the PTA for Cottondale Elementary and Holt High School.

Update April 28, 2005
This bill lost today in the Alabama legislature for lack of a quorum.

Further update May 3, 2005
While, CBS Evening News reported on April 28 that this bill had died in committee because of a lack of a quorum, as of about two minutes ago it was still listed as pending before the Rules Committee.

PolySciFi Blog has a great analysis of the bill.