Pre-filed bill would ban use of preferred pronouns, discussion of gender identity in Alabama public classrooms

ALABAMA (WHNT) — Three Alabama representatives have pre-filed a bill for the 2026-2027 school year that would prohibit teachers from using a student’s pronouns, among other things.

HB23 was pre-filed by Representatives Mack Butler, Ben Harrison and Mark Gidley.

The bill has three parts to it.

The first part, according to the pre-filed introduced document, states that an individual or group of individuals providing classroom instruction to students from prekindergarten through the twelfth grade at a public school “should not engage in classroom discussion or provide classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The second part of the bill says no teacher or other public pre-K through twelfth-grade employee may display a flag or other insignia relating to or representing sexual orientation or gender identity in a classroom or on the property of the public school.

Finally, the third part of the bill states that no teacher or other public pre-K through twelfth-grade employee may “intentionally address a student by a pronoun or title that is inconsistent with the student’s biological sex at birth.”

If passed, this act would become effective on July 1, 2026, ahead of the 2026-2027 school year.

The bill is to be first read on January 13, 2026.

You can read the full pre-filed bill below.

This bill is a second attempt by Butler to ban the use of pronouns in public school classrooms. HB244 had the same wording as HB23 listed above. HB224 originally passed in the House on April 17, 2025, but was read for a second time and placed on the Calendar on May 1. However, no action was taken on it, so it was not signed into law.