SB278 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Dick Brewbaker
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Schools, influenza vaccine, local boards of education to provide information, Education Dept. to make information available, Sec. 16-1-49 added
Summary: A bill requiring Alabama local school systems to share influenza information with parents whenever they share other health information with students.
What This Bill Does
If passed, local boards of education must include influenza details whenever they provide health information to parents of K-12 students. The required information includes what influenza is, its symptoms, how it spreads, where to find more information, and CDC recommendations. The Department of Education and the Department of Public Health will prepare and share the information, and school employees acting in line with this law would have civil liability immunity. The law would take effect three months after it becomes law.

Who It Affects
Parents and guardians of K-12 students, who will receive influenza information as part of health communications from schools.
Local boards of education and school staff who provide health information, who must include influenza content and are protected from civil liability when following the rule.

Key Provisions
Adds Section 16-1-49 requiring influenza information to be included whenever a local school system shares immunization, infectious disease, medication, or other health information with parents/guardians of students in grades K-12, including description of causes, symptoms, transmission, sources for more information, and CDC recommendations.
Requires the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Public Health, to develop and make the influenza information available (e.g., on the department website) and provides civil liability immunity for school employees acting in accordance with this section; sets the effective date as the first day of the third month after passage/approval.

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