HB59 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mark GidleyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Public preK-12 schools, 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

HB59 would let public K-12 and charter schools hire or accept volunteer chaplains to help students, with background checks and sex-offender restrictions, and require local boards to vote on whether to allow it.

What This Bill Does

The bill lets public schools hire or accept chaplains to provide support, services, and programs for students starting in the 2024-2025 year. Chaplains must pass a criminal history background check before starting, and anyone adjudicated or convicted of a sex offender offense cannot work or volunteer as a chaplain. Each local board of education and charter school governing body must hold a recorded vote by April 1, 2025 on whether to adopt a policy allowing chaplains.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 schools and public charter schools would be allowed to employ or accept as volunteers a chaplain to support students.
• Local boards of education and governing bodies of public charter schools must vote on whether to authorize chaplain employment or volunteer services.

Key Provisions

• Defines public school to include public K-12 schools and public charter schools.
• Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, schools may employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain to provide support, services, and programs for students (not required to be state-certified).
• Chaplains must comply with criminal history background checks before starting, per Section 16-22A-5.
• Chaplains adjudicated or convicted of offenses requiring sex offender registration cannot work or volunteer as a chaplain.
• Local boards of education and charter school governing bodies must conduct a recorded vote by April 1, 2025 on adopting a policy to authorize chaplains.
• The act becomes effective October 1, 2024.

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