A bill that would forbid employers from paying different wages based on race or sex was close to final passage in the legislature Wednesday afternoon.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, passed the Senate 29 to 0, after Democrats in the chamber threatened to filibuster bills if Clarke’s legislation did not come to a vote.

“I think this says to Alabama workers that we care about them and that we want them to have the protection they need to proceed, to resolve pay discrimination cases if and when they exist,” Clarke said after the vote.

She planned to concur in Senate changes to the bill later on Wednesday. If approved, the legislation would go to Gov. Kay Ivey.

Alabama and Mississippi are the only two states in the nation that do not have their own pay equity statutes. Clarke’s bill would allow employees with proof of wage discrimination over race or gender up to two years to file a lawsuit over alleged discriminatory actions.

The bill would provide exceptions for pay based on seniority; merit systems; systems that base earning on quality or quantity of production or “a differential based on any factor other than sex and race.”

Clarke said the state bill would address the shortcomings of an “antiquated” federal pay discrimination law.

More:Alabama House approves bill banning pay discrimination

“Efforts have been made to update that law,” she said. “And while that process has been slow, states have just taken charge here and started passing pay equity bills. That’s why we’ve got 48 states that have done so while we’ve been waiting on the federal law to be updated.”

The bill was at the call of the chair Wednesday afternoon and did not appear to be moving. But Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, who worked on the legislation in the Senate, took the floor and threatened to slow down the sessions. Democrats promised to sustain her, and Clarke’s bill came to the floor.