Legislative Black Caucus Suspends Filibuster to Pass Budget

Members of the Legislative Black Caucus suspended the filibuster of the House of Representative’s legislative calendar on Wednesday to support passage of the Education Trust Fund Budget.

“Passage of the budgets is of paramount importance,” said Rep. John Knight, “this is what the Constitution of Alabama requires us to do.”

Black Caucus members have been debating Republican agenda bills in the House of Representatives for several days, after the passage of a highly contentious bill to preserve Confederate monuments in the state and other bills that will negatively impact Alabamians.

The Caucus has slowed down Republicans’ efforts to rush passage of a flurry of hastily crafted bills.  “We are forcing a more deliberate debate of legislation in response to efforts by the Majority Party to continue to marginalize Blacks and suppress the voices of other minority voters in its latest plan for redistricting,” said Knight.  “They can continue to evade important issues by killing debate on the House floor, but we will continue to speak on behalf of the citizens we represent ‑— no matter how long it takes.”