SB87 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald H. AllenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Public K-12 Education, Star-Spangled Banner to be broadcast each week during instructional hours, constitutional amendment

Summary

SB87 would amend Alabama's Constitution to require every public K-12 school to broadcast or perform the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours.

What This Bill Does

It would require local boards of education to adopt policies ensuring each K-12 public school under their jurisdiction broadcasts or sanctions a performance of the first stanza at least weekly. The performance or broadcast can be via a Library of Congress recording or, alternatively, a live performance of the first stanza from original sheet music archived by the Library of Congress, conducted by a school-sanctioned band, choir, or vocal group. If a week starts Monday through Thursday without a performance, it must be performed on Friday morning. After ratification, the Code Commissioner would assign the amendment a number and place it in the constitution, with possible minor non-substantive textual revisions.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 students in Alabama: will experience a weekly performance or broadcast of the anthem during school hours.
• Local boards of education: must adopt and enforce policies to implement the weekly anthem requirement.
• School bands, choirs, and vocal programs: may perform the first stanza or provide a recording as allowed by policy.
• School administrators and staff: responsible for scheduling, coordinating, and ensuring compliance with the policy.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Local boards must adopt a policy requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours.
• Provision 2: If the anthem is not played Monday through Thursday, it must be played or broadcast on Friday morning.
• Provision 3: Broadcast sources must be a recording archived within the Library of Congress or, alternatively, the school may use original sheet music archived on the Library of Congress site for a live performance by a school-sanctioned band, choir, or vocal group.
• Provision 4: After ratification, the Code Commissioner will number and place the amendment in the constitution and may perform nonsubstantive revisions for style, spelling, punctuation, and cross-references.
• Provision 5: The amendment requires an election; voters will see a ballot description outlining the proposed change and may vote Yes or No.

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