An Alabama lawmaker has filed a bill attempting to regulate drag performances in public libraries and schools.

The bill, HB67, is sponsored by Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle who has attempted similar legislation in two previous years but was unsuccessful.

The bill states that “a public K-12 school or public library shall not knowingly present or sponsor any drag performance in the presence of a minor without the consent of the minor’s parent or legal guardian.”

Drag performance is defined as, “A performance in which a performer exhibits a sex identity that is different from the sex assigned to the performer at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physical markers.”

The legislation does not provide any stated repercussions if the provision is defied.

Stadthagen told 1819 News that “radicals“ were trying to promote “dangerous and immoral social agendas.” 1819 News is a website once owned by the Alabama Policy Institute.

Efforts by AL.com to reach Stadthagen were not successful.

“When parents send their children to schools, libraries and camps, they expect them to be safe and protected, not brainwashed and indoctrinated,” Stadthagen 1819 News. “Liberal extremists are trying to mainstream their crazy social ideas by exposing them to our children in schools, libraries, and other public places in hopes that they will be embraced by the next generation.”

In a statement opposing the bill, the Alabama Transgender Rights Action Coalition urged lawmakers “to stop using their power to pick on transgender children.”

“Trans kids do not deserve to be humiliated by state law that ignorantly declares them opposite the gender they know themselves to be — they deserve to be themselves. Alabama already denies them life-saving therapy and medical care and is trying to erase all mention of people like them from its archives and libraries,” the statement read.

The organization said the legislation could have unintended consequences.

“For example, a girl dressing up as George Washington for a classroom presentation would be in violation of this law. It also begs the question, “What is the Alabama state dress code?” Will women be restricted to dresses because pants are a male clothing item? In their effort to target drag by any means necessary, legislators have once again painted themselves into a corner with ignorance, and they are getting ever nearer to violating the first amendment rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.”

Drag queen story time performances, events where drag queens read to children primarily at libraries, have been right-wing targets for several years.

Parents, adults or guardians are usually present at the events. There has been no evidence or reporting of drag performances occurring at Alabama public schools.

Conservatives have insinuated that the increased visibility of LGBTQ+ people and gender expressions is part of a social agenda targeting children to make them queer.

The bill does not define “performance” which could lead to broad interpretations if the legislation passes.

The bill also prohibits minors to share certain facilities as a person of the opposite sex while at state-sponsored overnight programs. An exception is made for relatives or guardians with parental consent.

This effectively means that a child cannot be in specific facilities with a transgender person as the bill defines sex as the, “state of being male or female as observed or clinically verified at birth.”

This provision is related to the incident earlier this year where a transgender Space Camp employee was targeted by conservative politicians after a parent complained the worker would be in the same living quarters as their child.

Space Camp investigated and found no evidence of wrongdoing by the employee.

The conservative outcry came after the parent’s complaint on Facebook was also picked up by the Libs of TikTok account.

ALTRAC noted that this section of the bill “was overwhelmingly rejected in committee by Stadthagen’s fellow Republicans when he brought it forward as an amendment to the “What Is a Woman Act” of 2024, a bill that has failed for two straight years. Not only does this policy not make sense to pass or to implement, because it will have no benefit to children who are not transgender, but it will effectively bar transgender youth from sleepaway camps.”

The 2025 legislative session will begin on February 4.