A calm discussion about a noncontroversial bill on veterans benefits turned contentious for a few moments in the Alabama House of Representatives today, with Republican House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter using his gavel to intervene in debate after he said it veered off topic in violation of House rules. The Democratic lawmaker who was speaking disagreed.

The brief incident comes after a week marked by some discord in the House, including sharp disagreement over a bill affecting absentee voting, a reference to a song with a racial slur on the House floor, and comments one member made on a radio show about a colleague.

Today, Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, and Rep. Jerry Starnes, R-Prattville, were at the two mics on the House floor during consideration of Starnes’ bill, which expanded an education benefit for spouses of veterans killed in the line of duty or disabled.

Bracy began talking about a bill the House passed last week that made it a crime to help a person with an absentee ballot application or ballot, with some exceptions. Republicans passed that bill over staunch opposition from Democrats, who said it would needlessly outlaw activities that help elderly or homebound voters. Republicans, who control three-fourths of the seats in the House, said the bill was important to help prevent voter fraud and passed it overwhelmingly. The bill is pending in the Senate.

Today, Bracy drew a contrast to Starnes’ bill to help veterans’ families and the absentee ballot bill, which he said would have unintended consequences and make it harder for some veterans who depend on help getting a ballot in order to vote.

Ledbetter loudly struck his gavel several times after Bracy began talking about the bill. The speaker had Bracy’s mic cut off briefly. The speaker did not announce why he did that, but later told reporters that Bracy violated a rule that says House members should stick to the topic of the bill under discussion. Rule 50 says members should “confine remarks to the question under consideration.”

The gaveling and mic cut-off were unusual in the Alabama House, although it is not uncommon for the speaker to urge lawmakers to stick to the topic under discussion.

After his mic was restored, Bracy told Ledbetter he was not justified in gaveling him down.

“In four terms, I’ve never had my microphone turned off because I’ve always been on topic,” Bracy said. “I think it’s very relevant and I think it’s wrong. It’s disrespectful. It was very disrespectful. For me to be one of the most respectful statesmen in this body to be gaveled down, I think that’s wrong. I have given you nothing but respect at the microphone and every member I ever debate with.”

Bracy said his comments about the absentee ballot bill were relevant to the discussion about Starnes’ bill.

“We created a situation that we did not intend to create but we have an opportunity to fix,” Bracy said. “That’s all I was saying. I was not saying anything out of line.”

The House later adjourned after passing Starnes’ bill 103-0, including Bracy. Ledbetter took questions from reporters after adjournment and was asked about the incident with Bracy.

“There was no incident,” Ledbetter said. “You’ve got to stay germane to the bill. He wasn’t germane to the bill. We try to keep decorum.”

Ledbetter referenced a rule in Mason’s Legislative Manual that says: “Debate on a bill is confined to the bill under consideration and does not extend to criticism of other bills before the house or in committee, even though they relate to the same subject.”

“Mason’s rules and our rules, you’ve got to stay in line with what we’re talking about,” Ledbetter said. “He was out of line.”

Ledbetter was asked if the incident was a carryover from the fallout of last week’s dispute about the song with the racial slur and the radio interview. Ledbetter said there was no connection.

Ledbetter was not in the House last week when Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, referred to the song, “The Story of O.J.” by Black rapper Jay-Z during an exchange on the House floor with Rep. Kenneth Paschal of Shelby County, the only Black Republican in the House. The lyrics of the song repeatedly use a racial slur. Givan partly quoted the lyrics but did not say the slur. The state Republican Party called for an apology. Givan said she would not apologize, said the party should apologize to her, and questioned the sincerity of the party’s concern about use of a racial slur.

Later, Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, talked about Givan on a radio program, saying, “Some days, her medication is not quite working,” and other comments that Givan said were defamatory.

Today, Ledbetter was asked how he has responded to those incidents and whether any members were disciplined. He declined to go into any specifics.

“We’ve talked to every member,” Ledbetter said. “Everybody’s been talked to. Those are internal issues that we’ll handle internally. It’s been handled. I don’t know what else to say about that. That’s pretty much it.”