HB316 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mark GidleyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Public preK-12 schools, campus chaplains, public schools authorized to hire or accept as volunteers, local boards of education and governing bodies required to vote on whether to allow, limitations provided

Summary

HB316 would let public K-12 and charter schools hire or accept campus chaplains as volunteers, with background checks, training, and local votes to approve them.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill would authorize public schools to employ or accept as volunteers campus chaplains to provide services. Chaplains must complete a recognized training program and pass a criminal history background check before starting. Individuals who are adjudicated or convicted of offenses that require sex offender registration would not be allowed to serve. Local boards of education and charter school governing bodies must vote to authorize campus chaplains and adopt a policy by April 1, 2025. The act takes effect October 1, 2024, and defines public schools to include public K-12 and charter schools.

Who It Affects

• Local boards of education and governing bodies of public charter schools: must vote on whether to allow campus chaplains and adopt a policy by April 1, 2025.
• Prospective campus chaplains and the school communities: must pass a criminal history background check, complete a recognized chaplain training program, and may serve only if authorized by the local policy; sex offender registrants are barred.

Key Provisions

• Public schools and public charter schools may hire or accept campus chaplains as volunteers beginning with the 2024-2025 school year; chaplains are not required to be State Board of Education certified but must complete a recognized training program.
• Each campus chaplain must pass a criminal history background check before employment or volunteering, in line with existing background check requirements.
• Any individual adjudicated or convicted of offenses requiring sex offender registration may not work or volunteer as a campus chaplain.
• Local boards of education and charter school governing bodies must vote to authorize campus chaplains and adopt a policy; the vote must occur no later than April 1, 2025.
• The act becomes effective October 1, 2024; for purposes of this section, public schools include any public K-12 or public charter school.

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