Week 9: Camp Safety Act on the Senate Floor, a Bill Reaches the Governor, and the Homestretch Begins

Week 9 was one of those weeks that reminded me what it means to be a legislator. My name wasn't on a lot of the legislation that moved through the chamber - but that didn't mean I wasn't busy. Some of the most important work I do is helping make other people's bills better, running the floor when leadership calls on me, and being present in my community for conversations that matter. This week had plenty of all of that - with the biggest story of my session still unfolding.

The Camp Safety Act: This Is the Week

Everything I have been working toward on the Sarah Marsh Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act (HB 381) is coming to a head this week. The bill is scheduled for its Senate committee hearing on Tuesday, March 17, and if that goes as I expect, it will be on the Senate floor for a vote Thursday, March 19.

Both Jill and Patrick Marsh have spent a great amount of time in Montgomery. They havemet with senators in person - not through a letter, not through a staffer, but face to face. They told their daughter's story. And watching them do that, week after week, is something I will never take for granted. Patrick told me he hopes to be back in Montgomery on Thursday to see the bill pass - and if we can make it happen, I hope Governor Ivey signs it the same day.

If you're not familiar with the bill: the Sarah Marsh Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act is named for eight-year-old Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook, who perished in the July 4, 2025 flash flood at Camp Mystic in Texas, along with 26 other campers and counselors. The legislation creates Alabama's first emergency preparedness licensing system for overnight camps - requiring EMA-certified emergency plans, communication systems that work without cell service, staff background checks, and no permanent structures in designated floodplains.

It passed the House unanimously. I am expecting the same from the Senate.

HB 362 Reaches Governor Ivey's Desk

Earlier this session, I carried a bill at the request of the Alabama National Guard to update and clarify the names and responsibilities of positions within their legal services division. It's the kind of bill that doesn't make headlines, but it matters - the Guard asked for it, it was the right thing to do, and it needed to happen.

This week, HB 362 passed the Alabama Senate 35-0. It now heads to Governor Ivey for her signature. I'm glad to see it across the finish line.

Improving Legislation on the Floor

There's a part of this job that doesn't always get talked about: working on other people's bills. Not carrying them yourself - just making them better.

This week, I brought an amendment to HB 511, a bill establishing a designated time for prayer in public schools. My amendment added a clear requirement that the prayer time be student-led and student-initiated. No directives from administrators or staff. No imposed content. Students choose whether to pray, and students lead it if they do.

Before the amendment, there was real opposition to the bill on the floor - and much of it legitimate, well-intentioned, and well-thought and communicated. After I amended it, that opposition largely disappeared. I am an attorney, and when I see a piece of legislation that I think can be made more legally sound and more protective of individual rights, I feel an obligation to find a solution. This bill now does what it was meant to do, more clearly and more carefully than it did before.

Running the Floor as Vice Chair of Rules

A brief note on the mechanics of a week like this one: I serve as Vice Chair of the House Rules Committee. This week, Chairman Joe Lovvorn was out of town, which meant I was responsible for running the floor calendar and managing our Thursday rules meeting, where we set the bill schedule for Tuesday. That's a significant responsibility - it means coordinating which bills are ready, which ones need more time, and making sure the calendar serves the full House, not just any one member's interests.

I mention it not to highlight myself, but because I think constituents deserve to know that the work in Montgomery goes well beyond just the bills with your name on them. Leadership is a team effort, and I take that responsibility seriously.

From the Shipyard to the Sea Lab: Investing in Alabama

One of the things I believe strongly is that you cannot vote well on things you do not understand. That's why I make a point to get off the House floor, out of Montgomery, and into the places that the legislation we pass actually affects.

This past Saturday, I toured the Dauphin Island Sea Lab - one of Alabama's most impressive research and education institutions. The work they do there, particularly with our young people through marine science education programs, is exceptional. The state has been a strong supporter of the Sea Lab in recent years, and after seeing it firsthand, I understand why. I have photos coming that I'll be sharing with you.

A few weeks earlier, I had the opportunity to tour Austal USA's shipbuilding facility in Mobile - one of the most impressive defense manufacturing operations in the country. Seeing the scale of what Austal builds, and the workforce behind it, gave me a much better frame of reference for the defense-related legislation that comes through our chamber.

Alabama has a lot to be proud of. I intend to keep showing up to see it.

Looking Ahead

Here is the honest truth about where we are: three weeks remain in this session. We have a normal two-day week this week, then spring break the week of March 23, and then two final weeks to close out everything that remains. That's a tight window.

My priority right now is the Senate. The Camp Safety Act is right there. The self-defense accountability bill is ready for the Senate floor. The VOCAL victims fund checkoff and the Community Foundation sales tax exemption are both moving. I intend to push everything I can across the finish line before this session closes.

Thank you, as always, for the privilege of representing District 46. If you have questions about anything happening in Montgomery, I want to hear from you.

David Faulkner
Alabama House District 46

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