MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee on Wednesday unanimously voted to advance legislation that would mandate the national anthem be played in all public schools at least once per week.

State Sen. Gerald Allen’s (R-Tuscaloosa) SB 13 would also require the “Star-Spangled Banner” be played at certain public school sporting events.

He has explained that the anthem has stopped being played in many schools he has visited in his district, and Allen wants his grandchildren and future generations of Alabamians to be able to hear the anthem on a regular basis.

Allen noted that his bill contains no penalty provision for noncompliance.

“Certainly the school board and administrators and others — it’s my hope that [the bill would encourage them to] be great Americans,” Allen said.

The chair of the committee, State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), raised concerns about “resistance” arising to the national anthem being played in certain school districts.

“I’m for your bill,” Melson told Allen. “I’m just wondering when the Kaepernicks move to a school district and the whole family sits down or takes a knee, what’s going to be the response in the community?”

State Sen. David Burkette (D-Montgomery), a longtime coach in inner-city Montgomery, spoke up for the legislation while acknowledging it could become controversial.

The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

Wednesday was the first committee day of the legislature’s 2020 regular session. Both chambers gavel back in at 9:00 a.m. CST Thursday.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn