MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A bill allowing Alabama students to leave campus during the school day for religious instruction cleared the House Education Policy Committee Wednesday – a year after the same committee voted down a similar proposal.
The committee approved Senate Bill 248 after adopting an amendment that reorganizes parts of the bill to clarify that local boards of education are not required to adopt a policy allowing what is known as religious instruction release time.
The proposal would allow public school students to participate in off-campus religious instruction programs during the school day with parental permission, but participation would depend on whether a local school board chooses to adopt a policy allowing the program.
Under the bill, the religious instruction programs would have to be privately funded and held off school grounds, and students would be responsible for making up any missed classwork. A local board of education could refuse to allow a student to participate if the board has determined the program would cause physical harm to the student or if the sponsoring entity is in violation of state law.
A similar bill failed in the committee last year after some lawmakers raised questions about how the programs would operate and whether school systems would be required to participate. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, previously said the current bill was changed in multiple ways from last year’s bill to address concerns from school administrators.
The committee also held a public hearing Wednesday on a separate bill, Senate Bill 209, that would revise Alabama’s sex education requirements, but members did not vote on that measure.
That proposal would require schools that offer sex education to emphasize “sexual risk avoidance” instruction and place additional limits on the topics that can be taught.
The religious instruction released time bill now moves to the full House for consideration.
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