In a session marred by severe weather, the Alabama Legislature passed two bills that could establish new primary election dates for state legislative seats pending a Supreme Court decision on redistricting.

HB-1 and SB-1 would create special primary elections using a congressional map previously invalidated by federal courts. These primaries would only occur if an injunction requiring Alabama to use a court-drawn map through 2030 is lifted. Attorney General Steve Marshall has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to lift that injunction, which currently blocks the state from implementing the 2023 congressional map approved by its legislature.

Representative Adline Clark, D-Mobile, criticized the legislation as an effort to dilute Black voting power in predominantly Black districts. “We may very well lose not one, but both of those seats,” she said, noting that Republicans have asserted all seven affected districts should be filled by their candidates. The bills also permit special primary elections for state Senate seats in impacted districts if the Supreme Court rules in Alabama’s favor.

During the legislative session, lawmakers were evacuated from the State House due to a tornado warning and flooding. Sen. Merika Coleman reported medical emergencies, including one of her constituents, and described hearing “the blaring of [a] tornado” as they worked to pass the legislation.