Kay Ivey on Families & Children

Early onset medical care necessary for mothers and children

No gender-affirming surgery; no transgender bathrooms

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the two bills into law [this week]. One criminalizes gender-affirming surgeries for trans youth. Another requires students use the bathroom of the "biological sex" listed on their birth certificate and, in an amendment modeled on Florida's law, prevents classroom discussion of topics "regarding sexual orientation or gender identity" in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The legislation comes just a year after Alabama passed a bill to remove anti-gay language from its sex-education standards. The state's sex education standards still emphasize abstinence but language about homosexuality being illegal and unacceptable was removed in 2021.

Churches may decline foster kids to same-sex couples

• Alabama provides state licensed child placing services through various state, charitable, religious, and private organizations.
• Religious organizations have a lengthy history of providing child placing services.
• The right to free exercise of religion for child placing agencies includes the freedom to refrain from conduct that conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs [such as foster child placement with same-sex couples].
• Because some private entities provide child placing services have no religious beliefs, the religiously-compelled inability of the entities to provide child placement will not prevent any particular individual from alternative equal access to child placing services.

Adoption/foster care agencies may reject LGBTQ parents

Analysis by HRC.org: The bill enshrines discrimination into Alabama law by allowing some state-licensed adoption and foster care agencies to reject qualified prospective LGBTQ adoptive or foster parents based on the agency's religious beliefs. HB24 allows state-licensed child-placing agencies turn away qualified Alabamians seeking to care for a child in need -- including LGBTQ couples, interfaith couples, single parents, or other parents to whom the agency has a religious objection.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 23-9-3, Roll #650 on Apr/18/2017; Passed House 87-0-18, Roll #621 on Apr/27/2017; Signed by Gov. Kay Ivey on Apr/27/2017.

Support Alabama Girls State patriotism & Americanism

The program epitomizes the American Legion Auxiliary's mission to honor those who have brought us our freedom through our enduring commitment to develop young women as future leaders grounded in patriotism and Americanism. The young women become knowledgeable of the democratic process and how our republic form of government works at the state and national levels. The program is an immersion learning experience of learning, experience, memories, and friendships last a lifetime.

Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey was fortunate to attend Alabama Girls State as a rising High School Senior and the first Alabama Girls State Alumnus to be elected to a statewide constitutional office in Alabama.