MONTGOMERY, Ala. – An Alabama Senate committee has deadlocked on a bill that would have required state and local agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” effectively halting the legislation for the 2025 session.
House Bill 247, which passed the House 73-25 on April 17, called for all official state and local documents, maps and educational materials to use the new name beginning Oct. 1. The measure, sponsored by Republicans, also directed agencies to update existing resources where practicable, though it allowed for the use of “Gulf of Mexico” for historical purposes in schools.
The bill stalled after a 4-4 deadlock vote in the Senate Committee on County and Municipal Government, leaving little chance for it to advance with only a few legislative days remaining. The committee impasse means the proposal is unlikely to become law this year.
The legislation drew national attention and criticism for its attempt to rename a body of water recognized internationally as the Gulf of Mexico. With the committee’s tie vote, the bill’s progress has ended for the current legislative session.