Capital Pulse March 20

ALABAMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION The Capital

P U LSE

Your Weekly Legislative Update

MARCH 20, 2026 THE RUNDOWN The Alabama Legislature reconvened on Tuesday, March 17, for the 23rd legislative day of the 2026 Regular Session. Lawmakers met in both chambers on Tuesday and Thursday, while Wednesday was dedicated to committee meetings, where several education-related bills made progress. With 24 legislative days now completed, 6 days remain in the session. The legislature will be on spring break next week and will return on Tuesday, March 31.

RETIREES DESERVE FINANCIAL RELIEF: CONTINUE TO CALL YOUR SENATORS! Educators who spent their lives serving our schools shouldn’t have to struggle in retirement. The proposed education budget does not contain financial relief for our retirees. Click HERE to contact your senator NOW and let them know education retirees need assistance!

The education budget will be in the Senate Finance & Taxation Education Committee upon the legislature’s return after spring break.

MOVING THIS WEEK SB351, by Sen. April Weaver, and HB533, by Rep. Margie Wilcox, expand the forms of epinephrine that students may carry and self-administer and that schools may stock and administer to include any Food and Drug Administration-approved singledose premeasured epinephrine delivery system used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions. SB351 received a favorable report in the Senate Health Committee and can now be considered by the entire Senate. HB533 passed the House and can now be considered by the Senate.

HB603, by Rep. Susan DuBose, requires the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the State Board of Education and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, to publish and annually update public report cards evaluating the performance of educator preparation providers and alternative teacher preparation organizations using metrics such as certification exam pass rates, employment outcomes, retention, classroom performance, and satisfaction surveys. HB603 has been re-referred to the House Ways and Means Education Committee.

MOVING THIS WEEK (CONTINUED) SB5, by Sen. Gerald Allen, proposes a constitutional amendment requiring weekly performances of the first stanza of the national anthem in public schools. SB5 passed the House Education Policy Committee and can now be considered by the entire body of the House.

SB209, by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, would amend state law to require public K-12 sex education and human reproductive process instruction to exclusively teach sexual risk avoidance and abstinence, prohibit such instruction in kindergarten through fourth grade, restrict curriculum content and outside providers, require advance parental notice with an opt-out option, and authorize enforcement by the attorney general.

SB209 passed the House Education Policy Committee and can now be considered by the entire body of the House.

HB511, by Rep. Reed Ingram, proposes a constitutional amendment requiring local boards of education to adopt policies requiring public K-12 schools to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance each school day and to allow student-initiated and student-led prayer, while allowing students to opt out and requiring local superintendents to review reported violations. HB511 passed the Senate Education Policy Committee and can now be considered by the entire body of the Senate.

SB364, by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, requires public school students to complete instruction in violence prevention, conflict resolution, and mediation in grades six through 12 before graduating from high school and requires the State Department of Education to develop instructional standards and guidance for local school systems.

SB364 passed the Senate Education Policy Committee and can now be considered by the entire body of the Senate.

SB342, by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, and HB563, by Rep. Danny Garrett, create enforcement mechanisms for the CHOOSE Act athletic eligibility nondiscrimination provision by allowing CHOOSE Act participants to file civil actions against interscholastic athletic associations that restrict athletic participation based solely on a student’s CHOOSE Act status and authorizing courts to grant injunctive relief, damages, and attorney fees. SB342 received a favorable report in the Senate Finance & Taxation Education Committee and can now be considered by the entire Senate. HB563 passed the House Ways & Means Education Committee on Wednesday and can now be considered by the entire House.

HB567, by Rep. Jeremy Gray, creates the Student Athlete Eligibility and Career Transition Act requiring public high schools to track student athlete academic progress toward NCAA eligibility beginning in ninth grade, provide annual eligibility updates to families, develop individualized postsecondary transition plans by 11th grade, and coordinate exposure to college, military, and workforce opportunities with guidance and oversight from the State Department of Education. HB567 received a favorable report from the House Education Policy Committee on Wednesday and can now be considered by the entire House.

SB211, by Sen. Gerald Allen, would amend state law relating to sick leave banks for public education employees by revising the definition of educational authority to include local boards of education, the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB), the Department of Youth Services (DYS) School District, and certain state specialty schools, requiring the State Board of Education to adopt a uniform model sick leave policy and forms, revising procedures governing sick leave banks and catastrophic leave, and authorizing direct donation of sick leave between education employees, including across different educational authorities, beginning with the 2027–2028 school year. SB211 received a favorable report from the House Education Policy Committee on Wednesday and can now be considered by the entire House.

MOVING THIS WEEK (CONTINUED) HB216, by Rep. Mark Gidley, requires local boards of education to display the Ten Commandments, with a specified context statement, in certain history classrooms and school common areas for grades five through 12 when donated displays or donated funds are available. HB216 received a favorable report from the House Judiciary Committee and can now be considered by the entire House.

SB280, by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, allows teachers and state employees to purchase up to 10 years of service credit in the Employees’ Retirement System or the Teachers’ Retirement System for qualifying federal public service, subject to existing eligibility, cost, and certification requirements. SB280 passed the House Ways & Means General Fund on Wednesday and can now be considered by the entire House.

HB188, by Rep. Alan Baker, broadens the offense of making a terrorist threat in the second degree by removing the requirement that a threat be credible or imminent, and increases penalties for repeat offenses. HB188 received a favorable report from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and can now be considered by the entire Senate.

HB420, by Rep. Mack Butler, would increase the penalty for discharging a firearm into an occupied school bus or school building from a Class B felony to a Class A felony. HB420 received a favorable report from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and can now be considered by the entire Senate.

HB7, by Rep. James Lomax, expands and strengthens terrorist threat laws and requires public schools to immediately notify law enforcement and impose a mandatory minimum one-year suspension and potential expulsion with restitution when a student is charged with or convicted of making a terrorist threat. HB7 passed the Senate on Thursday and is now being sent to the governor to sign into law.

HB138, by Rep. Kenneth Paschal, allows certain retirees of the Teachers’ Retirement System and Employees’ Retirement System to return to work as school bus drivers, school resource officers, and specified public safety positions without suspension of retirement benefits, subject to existing earnings limits, certification requirements, no additional retirement credit, and a sunset date of December 31, 2032. HB138 has been sent to the governor to sign into law.

INTRODUCED THIS WEEK HB640, by Rep. Arnold Mooney, authorizes public institutions of higher education to accept Classic Learning Test scores to the same extent as ACT and SAT scores for demonstrating college readiness and meeting admissions requirements, as determined by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and each institution’s board of trustees.

Thus far, 1,020 bills have been introduced by the Legislature. AEA staff continues to read each bill and monitors them daily to ensure they will positively affect public education.

Remember, while you’re busy serving our state’s students, we’ve got your back in the Alabama Legislature!

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ALABAMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION