HB503 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mack N. ButlerRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Vaccines; religious exemption for K-12 students, further provided for; religious exemption for students at public institutions of higher education, provided

Summary

HB503 would allow religious exemptions for K-12 vaccines via a parent’s written declaration and require public colleges to offer both religious and medical exemptions to vaccine or testing requirements.

What This Bill Does

For K-12, it lets a parent or guardian exempt their child from vaccination for religious reasons using a written declaration, with no need to explain the reason or obtain third-party certification. For public colleges and universities, it requires institutions to provide both religious and medical exemptions to students if vaccination or testing is required. Exemptions for K-12 can be submitted to the local board of education, and medical exemptions may be documented by a medical authority and presented to the admissions officer. The bill becomes effective October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• K-12 students and their parents/guardians in Alabama, who can obtain a religious exemption for vaccines using a simple written declaration.
• Public institutions of higher education and their students, who must be offered both religious and medical exemptions to vaccine or testing requirements.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 16-30-3 to allow a parent/guardian's written declaration to exempt a child at a public K-12 school from religious vaccine requirements, with no need to explain the reason or obtain third-party certification.
• For K-12, permits certification by a medical authority documenting an exemption to be presented to the school admissions officer.
• Requires public institutions of higher education to provide both religious and medical exemptions if they require vaccination or testing as a condition of enrollment.
• Higher education religious exemption: a written statement from the student declaring the exemption, with no requirement to explain the reason or obtain approval.
• Higher education medical exemption: a written statement from a competent medical authority certifying the exemption.
• Effective date: October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health