SB 4

SB4 INTRODUCED
1 SB4
2 EJ5M4C9-1
3 By Senator Shelnutt
4 RFD: Education Policy
5 First Read: 13-Jan-26
6 PFD: 22-May-25
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EJ5M4C9-1 05/21/2025 GP (L) GP 2025-1971
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5 SYNOPSIS:
6Under existing law, the State Board of Education
7has a policy providing elective credit to students who
8attend religious instruction during the school day, and
9each local board of education may choose whether to
10implement the policy.
11This bill would require each local board of
12education to implement a policy allowing elective
13credit to students who are released from the classroom
14to attend religious instruction during the school day,
15provided each local board of education may tailor the
16policy to meet their needs.
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18
19A BILL
20TO BE ENTITLED
21AN ACT
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23Relating to public K-12 education; to amend Section
24 16-1-20.6, Code of Alabama 1975; to further provide for the
25 provision of elective credit for students who attend religious
26 instruction during the school day.
27 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
28Section 1. Section 16-1-20.6, Code of Alabama 1975, is
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29 amended to read as follows:
30"§16-1-20.6
31(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the
32 Alabama Released Time Credit Act.
33(b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
34 following:
35(1) That the United States Supreme Court, in its
36 decision in Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306 (1952), upheld the
37 constitutionality of released time programs for religious
38 instruction for public school students during the school day.
39(2) That the United States Constitution and state law
40 allows local school districts to offer religious released time
41 education for the benefit of public school students.
42(3) That the purpose of this section is to incorporate
43 a constitutionally acceptable method of allowing school
44 districts to offer released time classes and, in grades where
45 credit is earned, to award students elective credit for
46 classes taken during the school day in released time programs.
47(c) As used in this section, the term released time
48 means a period of time during the school day when a student is
49 allowed to participate in an elective course in religious
50 instruction, conducted off school district property, by a
51 private entity.
52(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt and each
53 local board of education may shall implement a policy
54 forallowing a student to attend released time as an elective
55 course if all of the following are satisfied:
56(1) The parent or guardian of the student gives written
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57 consent.
58(2) The sponsoring entity maintains attendance records
59 and makes them available to the public school the student
60 attends.
61(3) The sponsoring entity makes provisions for and
62 assumes liability for the student who is excused for released
63 time.
64(4) No public funds are expended other than de minimis
65 administrative costs.
66(5) No public school personnel are involved in
67 providing the religious instruction.
68(e) In grades where credit is earned, a student who
69 participates in released time may earn elective course credit
70 for participation, as provided by rules adopted by the State
71 Board of Education for elective courses. Credit awarded may
72 not exceed normal credit given for an elective course in the
73 particular school system. The State Board of Education shall
74 also adopt minimum standards for class attendance necessary to
75 qualify for credit.
76(f) A student who participates in religious instruction
77 for elective credit during released time shall be credited
78 with time spent as if the student attended school, and the
79 time shall be calculated as part of the actual school day.
80(g) Transportation to and from the place of released
81 time, including transportation for any student with
82 disabilities, is the complete responsibility of the sponsoring
83 private entity, parent, guardian, or student and may not be
84 arranged, coordinated, or provided for by public school
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85 personnel.
86(h) No student may be released from a required core
87 curriculum class to attend released time.
88(i) Nothing in this act may be construed to:
89(1) Limit the authority of local boards of education to
90 tailor the policies required by this section to meet their
91 specific needs; provided the policy reflects the requirements
92 of this section and complies with applicable law, rules, and
93 regulations; or
94(2) Require local boards of education that adopted
95 policies permitting released time instruction prior to July 1,
96 2026, to amend or alter those policies; provided the policies
97 are otherwise in compliance with all applicable laws, rules,
98 and regulations."
99Section 2. This act shall become effective on July 1,
100 2026.
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