Senator Slams Fellow Republicans Over Conservative Bill Stalling

State Senator Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) is calling out some of his fellow Republicans for what he sees as a lack of support for key conservative bills. He's not holding back!

Disappointment Over Religious Instruction Bill

Elliott's particularly bummed about the failure of a bill last session that would have allowed public school students to attend off-campus religious and character instruction during school hours. The bill stalled in the State House Government Committee after a 5-5 tie vote. Ouch!

Elliott Sounds Off

"[S]ometimes on issues such as this, I look around and I can count the supporters...maybe on one hand, and then the rest get kind of squeamish," Elliott said, firing shots on WVNN’s "The Yaffee Program." He added that some legislators buckle under pressure from school superintendents and boards, failing to back what he calls an "easy win for conservatives."

Hope for the Future?

State Senator Shay Shelnutt (R-Trussville) has already pre-filed similar legislation for the 2026 session, aiming to mandate that all public school districts offer elective credit for students attending private religious instruction during the school day.

Calling on Colleagues

Elliott's hoping more of his colleagues will step up and vote for the bill next year. He praised Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth for calling out the opposition from "edu-crats" against this and similar issues. "When you start pushing good, hard conservative issues, it really separates the true conservatives from those that may not be as conservative on issues like this," Elliott asserted.

What the Bill Would Do

If passed, the legislation would require each local school board to create a policy allowing students to receive elective credit for attending religious instruction during school hours. Local boards would have the flexibility to tailor the policy to their specific needs.