Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

AL Scorecard 2023

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Alabama Legislature in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate

1. Firearm Prohibited Person Database

Good Vote: No

SB158 Firearm Prohibited Person Database (passed 29 to 0 on 6/1/2023). Provides that the Alabama Firearm Prohibited Person database include “mentally ill persons” involuntary committed for “outpatient treatment.”

2. State Income Tax Rebate

Good Vote: Yes
HB175 State Income Tax Rebate (passed 25 to 5 on 6/1/2023). Offers a “one-time refundable income tax credit to qualified taxpayers to partially offset the amount of sales taxes paid on groceries throughout the tax year.”

3. Ban on Central Bank Digital Currency

Good Vote: Yes

SB330 Ban on Central Bank Digital Currency (passed 32 to 0 on 5/24/2023). Bans state government agencies from accepting a payment using a Central Bank Digital Currency, and from participating in any test of this type of currency by the Federal Reserve.

4. Expanding Refundable Tax-Credit "Scholarships"

Good Vote: No

SB263 Expanding Refundable Tax-Credit "Scholarships" (passed 26 to 7 on 5/24/2023). Amends the Alabama Accountability Act to expand refundable tax-credit “scholarships” by raising the poverty threshold for lower-income parents and replacing the term “failing school” with “priority school.”

5. Prohibiting ESG-Based Public Contracts

Good Vote: Yes

SB261 Prohibiting ESG-Based Public Contracts (passed 27 to 8 on 5/18/2023). Prohibits governmental entities from entering into certain contracts with companies that “boycott businesses because the business engages in certain sectors or does not meet certain environmental or corporate governance standards does not facilitate certain activities.”

6. Protecting Student Athletes from Transgenderism

Good Vote: Yes
HB261 Protecting Student Athletes from Transgenderism (passed 26 to 4 on 5/3/2023). Prevents male and female students from participating on athletic teams or sports designated for the opposite sex in public K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.
Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Greg Albritton R SD-022 60% -++-+.
Gerald H. Allen R SD-021 60% -++-+.
Will Barfoot R SD-025 50% -.+-+.
William M. Beasley D SD-028 60% -++.-+
Lance Bell R SD-011 50% --+-++
Tom Butler R SD-002 67% -++-++
Joshua Carnley R SD-031 67% -++-++
Clyde Chambliss R SD-030 67% -++-++
Donnie Chesteen R SD-029 60% -+.-++
Merika Coleman D SD-019 50% ..++--
Linda Coleman-Madison D SD-020 60% .+++--
Chris Elliott R SD-032 80% .++-++
Vivian Davis Figures D SD-033 40% -+.+--
Sam Givhan R SD-007 60% .-+-++
Garlan Gudger R SD-004 50% --+-++
Kirk Hatcher D SD-026 33% ...+--
Jay Hovey R SD-027 60% -.+-++
Andrew Jones R SD-010 60% -.+-++
Keith Kelley R SD-012 67% -++-++
Steve Livingston R SD-008 67% -++-++
Tim Melson R SD-001 67% -++-++
Arthur Orr R SD-003 67% -++-++
Randy Price R SD-013 67% -++-++
Greg J. Reed R SD-005 67% -++-++
Dan Roberts R SD-015 67% -++-++
Clay Scofield R SD-009 67% -++-++
David Sessions R SD-035 67% -++-++
Shay Shelnutt R SD-017 80% -++.++
Bobby D. Singleton D SD-024 60% -+++-.
Rodger M. Smitherman D SD-018 60% -+++-.
Robert Stewart D SD-023 67% -+++-+
Larry Stutts R SD-006 60% .-+-++
J.T. 'Jabo' Waggoner R SD-016 67% -++-++
April Weaver R SD-014 50% --+-++
Jack W. Williams R SD-034 67% -++-++

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 63.6%
Democrat 53.8%