This amendment changes a rule in SB209 to stop schools from teaching how to use contraception or showing students contraceptive items.
Alabama2026Enacted
SB209
Alabama Public School Sex Education Rules
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 9:06 AM
In one sentence
This law sets new rules for sex education in Alabama public schools by requiring lessons on avoiding sexual activity and giving parents the right to remove their children from these classes.
What it does
- Requires all sex education programs to teach that abstinence is the only completely effective way to prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV.
- Teaches that waiting until marriage is the best health practice for unmarried students.
- Prohibits teaching concepts about sexual behavior to students in kindergarten through fourth grade.
- Mandates that course materials include information on abortion laws, adoption, safe surrender of newborns, unhealthy relationships, peer pressure, and the impacts of youth pregnancy.
- Allows parents or guardians to opt their children out of sex education classes without any penalty for the student after receiving written notice at least 14 days in advance.
- Bans schools from demonstrating how contraceptives work or providing instructions on how to get an abortion.
- Stops local school boards from hiring outside groups that support abortions or do not agree with sexual risk avoidance.
Who it affects
- Public K-12 schools in Alabama
- Students enrolled in sex education or human reproduction classes
- Parents and guardians of students
- Local school boards
Limits and unknowns
- The official text provided ends abruptly while listing prohibited content regarding how to obtain contraceptives, so the full list is not visible in this excerpt.
- While the law requires materials to be age-appropriate and medically accurate, it does not specify exactly which teaching methods must be used beyond these general standards.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Sexual risk avoidance
- A teaching approach that focuses on the benefits of not having sex to avoid physical, mental, educational, and economic problems.
- Abstinence
- Choosing not to have any sexual activity; this law defines it as avoiding all intimate contact between individuals involving private areas of the body.
- Safe haven law
- A rule that allows parents to legally surrender a newborn infant without fear of prosecution.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
This act amends Section 16-40A-2, Code of Alabama 1975, to: (1) require the teaching of sexual risk avoidance and the advantages of avoiding nonmarital sexual activity in public school programs including sex education or human reproduction; (2) prohibit course materials introducing concepts related to sexual behavior to students in kindergarten through fourth grade; (3) require sex education or human reproduction course materials to include certain information, including on abortion, infant adoption, surrendering newborns, unhealthy relationships, exploitation and peer pressure, and impacts of youth pregnancies and disease infections; (4) authorize parents to opt children out of sex or human reproduction education; (5) prohibit this curricula from demonstrating contraceptive use or providing explicit materials and information on obtaining abortions; (6) prohibit local school boards from contracting with persons to provide sex education who support abortions or do not endorse sexual risk avoidance; and (7) authorize enforcement by the Attorney General.
Official activity
Bill history
- EnactedSenate
- Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1213 (Yeas 82, Nays 16)House
- DuBose motion to Table - Adopted Roll Call 1212 (Yeas 71, Nays 30)House
- Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 98, Nays 1)House
- Signature RequestedHouse
- Delivered to GovernorSenate
- EnrolledSenate
- Ready to EnrollSenate
- Lands 1st Amendment OfferedHouse
- Read for the Second Time and placed on the CalendarHouse
- Reported Out of Committee Second HouseHouse
- Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 497 (Yeas 26, Nays 3)Senate
- Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 30, Nays 0)Senate
- Pending Committee Action in Second HouseHouse
- Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Education PolicyHouse
- Read for the Second Time and placed on the CalendarSenate
- Reported Out of Committee House of OriginSenate
- Pending Committee Action in House of OriginSenate
- Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Education PolicySenate
Changes
Amendments
1 stored