HB321 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Andrew SorrellAuditor

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Public K-12 schools, parents to opt into sex education on behalf of students prior to thier enrollment in related courses, Sec. 16-40A-2 am'd.

Summary

HB321 would require public K-12 schools to disclose the exact sex education content and obtain parental written permission before students participate in sex education programs.

What This Bill Does

Public K-12 sex education programs must disclose the specific content and materials to the parents of unemancipated students of eligible age or grade. Parents must provide prior written permission for their child to participate, valid for the current school year, and the school must confirm receipt. The content must be age-appropriate and include a list of required elements such as abstinence, self-control and ethics, information on contraception reliability, laws about pregnancy and child rearing, reporting abuse, resisting peer pressure, parenting responsibilities, and an explicit statement about homosexuality not being acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under state law. Parents may withdraw their child from participation by submitting a withdrawal request, and the school must confirm receipt.

Who It Affects

• Unemancipated students in public K-12 schools who are eligible to participate in sex education programs would need parental consent before participation.
• Parents or guardians of those students would need to be informed about the exact content and materials and must provide written permission; they can also withdraw their child from participation.
• Public schools would be responsible for disclosing content during registration, obtaining and recording consent for the current school year, and confirming receipt of permissions.

Key Provisions

• Disclose the exact content and instructional materials for any sex education or human reproductive program to the parents/guardians of unemancipated students of eligible age/grade at registration.
• Require prior written permission from parents/guardians before the student participates, with the permission valid for the current school year and a confirmation of receipt sent to the parents/guardians.
• Demand age-appropriate course materials and require the program to include specified elements: abstinence, self-control and ethical conduct, information on contraception effectiveness and related health issues, pregnancy/child-rearing laws, reporting abuse, resisting peer pressure, and parenting responsibilities (including child support). It also includes a statement that homosexuality is not acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under state law.
• Allow parents to withdraw their child from participation by submitting a withdrawal request, with the school confirming receipt.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education