HB362 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tracy EstesRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Building Exceptional School Board Team Act (BEST), provides further for boardsmanship standards, training, and discipline of local bd. of education members, Sec. 16-1-41.1 repealed; Secs. 16-8-1, 16-11-2 am'd.

Summary

HB362 would create the Building Exceptional School Board Teams (BEST) Act to establish boardsmanship standards, mandatory training, and a disciplinary framework for local boards of education in Alabama, while repealing the older School Board Governance Improvement Act.

What This Bill Does

It sets formal boardsmanship standards and requires prospective and current board members to affirm core governance principles in writing. It creates a model code of conduct, requires ongoing training, and authorizes enforcement through censure, sanctions, or removal by local boards or the State Superintendent with peer review panels. It establishes attendance and residency requirements, plus a process to address excessive absences or eligibility concerns, including potential vacancies. It repeals the 2012 act and updates eligibility and structure rules for county and city boards.

Who It Affects

• Local boards of education and their elected or appointed members, who would have to follow new standards, training, codes of conduct, and potential disciplinary actions.
• State and local education oversight bodies (such as the State Board of Education, State Superintendent of Education, and residents involved in enforcement or residency challenges), who would implement, monitor, and enforce the new rules.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Building Exceptional School Board Teams (BEST) Act, repealing the School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012 and amending Sections 16-8-1 (county boards) and 16-11-2 (city boards).
• Defines key terms including board member, boardsmanship, censure, sanction, neglect of duty, peer review panel, regular meeting, and willful misconduct.
• Requires prospective board members to publicly affirm in writing a set of governance principles for each term of office.
• Requires local boards to adopt a code of conduct aligned with a state model code, with regulations from the State Superintendent to implement the requirements.
• Requires continuing education and annual training for board members, with possible waivers; noncompliance can lead to withholding of compensation until training is completed.
• Establishes disciplinary processes (censure, sanction, removal) for neglect of duty or willful misconduct, including hearings and involvement of peer review panels and the State Superintendent/State Board of Education.
• Imposes attendance rules (presence at regular meetings) and residency requirements for board members, with procedures for excessive absences and residency challenges that can trigger vacancies.
• Creates a peer review panel system drawn from experienced board members to review allegations and make recommendations, with confidentiality and due process protections.
• Sets effective date of January 1, 2021 and repeals the prior act.

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