HB8 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris PringleRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Education, prohibits public K-12 schools and public institutions of higher education from teaching certain divisive concepts relating to race or sex

Summary

HB8 would bar public K-12 schools and public colleges in Alabama from teaching certain race or sex based divisive concepts, and protect students who refuse to endorse them.

What This Bill Does

It prohibits public K-12 schools and public institutions of higher education from teaching divisive concepts related to race or sex, including ideas like critical race theory, as defined in the bill. It bans penalties or discrimination against students who refuse to support, believe, endorse, or act on these concepts. It allows schools and colleges to promote diversity and inclusiveness, but only in ways that comply with the act. It permits the discussion of divisive concepts in an objective, non endorsing way as part of academic instruction.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 students in Alabama: protected from penalties or discrimination for refusing to endorse divisive concepts; schools cannot teach these concepts or penalize them for refusal.
• Public institutions of higher education and their students and staff: subject to the same restrictions on teaching divisive concepts and penalties, with diversity efforts allowed only if consistent with the act; boards of trustees must ensure compliance.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits teaching or training students to adopt divisive concepts related to race or sex, including critical race theory.
• Prohibits penalties or discrimination against students for refusing to support or endorse divisive concepts.
• Allows promoting racial, cultural, or ethnic diversity or inclusiveness only if it is consistent with the act.
• Provides definitions of divisive concepts, race or sex scapegoating, and race or sex stereotyping to guide enforcement.
• Allows objective discussion of divisive concepts without endorsement as part of academic instruction.
• Requires public K-12 schools and public colleges to comply, and directs boards of trustees to enforce the act.
• Establishes the act's effective date as the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

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