HB281 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mack N. ButlerRepresentative

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Dan WilliamsApril WeaverBecky NordgrenMac McCutcheonDavid StandridgePaul W. LeeDavid SessionsAlan HarperEd HenryRandall SheddWilliam RobertsMike HillWayne JohnsonKen JohnsonAllen FarleyKerry RichRichard BaughnTerri Collins

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Religious expression in schools, authorized, Alabama Student Religious Liberties Act

Summary

HB281 would create the Alabama Student Religious Liberties Act to protect student religious expression in public schools and require schools to accommodate it alongside other viewpoints.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill would prohibit discrimination against students or parents based on religious viewpoints or expression and require schools to treat religious expression the same as secular expression on permissible subjects. It would allow students to express religious beliefs in homework, artwork, and other assignments, with ordinary academic standards used to judge the work and no penalties or rewards for religious content. It would guarantee the right to organize religious groups and activities and to access school facilities on the same basis as other noncurricular groups, including prayer and religious gatherings before, during, or after school. It would require districts to adopt a policy governing voluntary religious expression and implement it starting with the 2015-16 school year, while maintaining order and respecting constitutional rights.

Who It Affects

• Public school students and their parents would gain protection from discrimination based on religious viewpoint or expression and would be able to express religion in assignments, wear religious symbols, and participate in prayer or religious groups with equal treatment.
• Public school districts and administrators would be required to enforce non-discrimination, provide equal access to facilities for religious groups, and adopt and implement district policies on voluntary religious expression.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits discrimination against students/parents based on religious viewpoints or expressions and requires equal treatment with secular viewpoints on permissible subjects.
• Allows students to express religious beliefs in homework, artwork, and assignments and requires evaluation by ordinary academic standards without penalizing/rewarding for religious content.
• Allows students to pray or engage in religious activities before, during, and after the school day and to organize religious groups with the same access to facilities as other noncurricular groups.
• Requires districts to adopt and implement a policy governing voluntary religious expression to avoid school endorsement or discrimination.
• Allows clothing or symbols displaying religious messages to be worn, on the same terms as other permitted messages.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Religion