Senate Bill 209 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Shay ShelnuttSenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Public K-12 schools; sex education (sex ed) curriculum further provided for, sexual risk avoidance established as sex ed curriculum, policies of local boards of education related to sex ed further provided for, parent or guardian notice of sex ed curriculum required, Attorney General authorized to enforce

Summary

SB209 would overhaul Alabama public K-12 sex education to require sexual risk avoidance and abstinence, restrict K-4 instruction, require parental notice with an opt-out, and empower the Attorney General to enforce these changes.

What This Bill Does

The bill would require sex education and human reproductive curricula to teach sexual risk avoidance and abstinence as the only fully reliable protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. It would prohibit sex education for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. It would add information about the costs of pregnancy, child care, abortion, and adoption, and instruction about parenting responsibilities. It would ban referrals to abortion or contraception, misrepresentation of contraceptive efficacy, and sexually explicit images, and would bar local boards from using instructors or groups that do not endorse risk avoidance or that advocate abortions. It would require parents to receive at least 14 days' notice before sex education is taught and would allow them to opt their child out, and it would authorize the Attorney General to enforce the act, with the new law taking effect October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 students in Alabama would be taught under a program focused on abstinence and sexual risk avoidance, with K-4 not receiving sex education.
• Parents or guardians would receive advance notice and have the option to opt their child out.

Key Provisions

• Requires sex education and human reproductive curricula to teach sexual risk avoidance and encourage abstinence from all sexual activity as the only completely reliable protection against unintended pregnancy and STIs.
• Prohibits sex ed for kindergarten through fourth grade and requires age-appropriate, medically accurate materials for other grades; defines 'sexual activity' and emphasizes abstinence.
• Adds information on financial costs of pregnancy, child care, abortion, and adoption, and instruction on parenting responsibilities; includes information on related laws.
• Prohibits referrals to abortion or contraception, misrepresentation of contraception efficacy, and images that are sexually explicit; restricts teaching methods or content that promote contraception.
• Prevents local boards from using services of individuals or organizations that do not endorse sexual risk avoidance or that advocate or perform abortions.
• Requires at least 14 days' written notice to parents before teaching sex education; provides a process for parents to opt out with no penalty to the student.
• Gives the Attorney General authority to enforce the act, including seeking injunctive relief; the act becomes effective October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education