A bill banning marijuana use in vehicles with children passes after a rare intra-party debate among Democrats.
BY SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation prohibiting smoking or vaping marijuana in a vehicle when a child is present, following an unusual floor debate that largely unfolded among House Democrats.
House Bill 72, sponsored by Rep. Patrick Sellers, D-Pleasant Grove, would make it a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, to smoke marijuana in a car with a child under the age of 19. The bill passed 77–2, though most Democrats abstained from the vote. Only four Democrats voted in favor, while Reps. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, and TaShina Morris, D-Montgomery, voted against the measure.
Sellers said the bill is intended to protect children.
“It’s about protecting the children, protecting every single child in the state of Alabama,” Sellers said after the meeting. “That’s the motivation behind making sure that every child has the ability to learn in the best environment and stay safe.”
Under the bill, individuals found to have violated the law would be required to complete an educational program through the Alabama Department of Public Health and would be reported by law enforcement to local county Departments of Human Resources.
Several Democrats raised concerns about potential unintended consequences, particularly the impact of criminal penalties on minority communities.
“It goes back to the heart of criminalization of marijuana in certain communities,” said Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, who added that Democrats had sought to work with the bill’s sponsor to revise its language.
Concerns were also raised about parental responsibility and the bill’s definition of a child. Morris questioned whether parents could be held accountable for marijuana use by older teenagers without their knowledge.
Responding to those concerns, Sellers said parents should be aware of marijuana use in their homes and dismissed what he described as excuses.
Despite reservations expressed during debate — including from House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville— the bill advanced and now moves to the Alabama Senate for consideration.