Rolanda Hollis

Action: Hollis sponsored HB50, which became law in 2022. It created grants for eligible public schools to provide pads and tampons at no cost to students.

Who may be affected: Students in grades five through twelve at participating Title I schools can receive products through designated school staff. Title I provides federal funding to schools serving many students from low-income families.

Supporters say: Hollis and Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison argued that access to products could help students avoid leaving or missing school. That was their reasoning, not a measured statewide attendance result.

The funding tradeoff: School-board leaders raised concerns about the cost of the original statewide requirement. Lawmakers narrowed it to a funded grant program. Rep. Danny Garrett said $200,000 would be included in the initial education budget.

Details: The final law makes grants dependent on available funding. It reimburses participating schools' actual costs up to their allocations. It does not guarantee unlimited supplies or require every public school to participate.

Enrolled HB50 text: archived copy hosted by Bama Politics
HB50: Act 2022-380 and bill history
Alabama Daily News: school access, costs, and the grant compromise

Action: Hollis sponsored HB230 in 2022. The law limits certain restraints and examination practices for pregnant women in jails and prisons.

Who may be affected: Pregnant inmates, newborns, healthcare workers, and corrections staff are affected by the rules for care and security.

Her reasoning: Hollis said the bill was intended to protect babies. She and other sponsors raised concerns about restraints increasing the risk of falls during pregnancy.

Concerns raised: During House debate, Rep. Russell Bedsole, a jail administrator, questioned how some provisions would affect staff handling mental-health issues in custody. His comments concerned the bill during debate, not documented results under the law.

Details: The final text generally prohibits leg or waist restraints during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period. It includes exceptions for immediate flight or harm risks that cannot reasonably be contained otherwise. It also permits medical restraints by licensed healthcare professionals.

Other provisions: The law requires pregnancy testing within 72 hours of initial screening when an inmate reports suspected pregnancy, unless she refuses. It also addresses medical examinations, documentation, and transfers from county jails to state facilities.

Enrolled HB230 text: archived copy hosted by Bama Politics
National Black Caucus of State Legislators: enacted protections
Alabama Daily News: House debate and concerns in 2022

Action: Hollis sponsored HB54 in 2026. It proposed supervised release and delayed incarceration for certain pregnant and postpartum women. It did not become law.

Who may be affected: Women facing incarceration, infants, families, courts, probation staff, and corrections facilities could be affected by release and supervision decisions.

Supporters say: RestoreHER founder Pamela Wynn argued that mothers and babies need time to bond and that jail care is not standardized. Pardons and Paroles Director Cam Ward said his bureau could support the initiative through monitoring and treatment services.

Critics argued: Rep. Phillip Pettus said 12 months was too long to allow someone to remain on probation. Other committee members raised concerns about using pregnancy to avoid incarceration.

Details: The February committee substitute allowed courts to authorize supervision through pregnancy and up to 12 months after birth. Courts would assess documented, immediate public-safety risks. It credited supervision time toward the sentence and required surrender afterward, with a felony penalty for failing to surrender.

What happened: The original proposal used 12 weeks after birth; the committee substitute changed that to 12 months. The bill reached the House calendar but did not pass. Neither period became a new entitlement through HB54.

Official committee substitute to HB54
Alabama Reflector: revised proposal, support, and concerns
BillTrack50: HB54 final status and last action