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

HB24 INTRODUCED
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HB24
RBXCTNN-1
By Representatives Butler, Harrison, Gidley
RFD: Education Policy
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 11-Aug-25
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RBXCTNN-1 05/27/2025 GP (L)lg 2025-2024
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PFD: 11-Aug-25
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a student at a public K-12
school may be exempt from vaccination or testing
requirements for religious or medical reasons.
Existing law does not provide for vaccination or
testing requirements for students at a public
institution of higher education.
This bill would specify that a parent or
guardian's written declaration is sufficient
documentation to exempt his or her child from a vaccine
requirement for religious reasons.
This bill would also provide that if a public
institution of higher education requires students to be
vaccinated or tested for a disease, a student may be
exempt for medical reasons or because he or she objects
for religious reasons.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to vaccines; to amend Section 16-30-3, Code of
Alabama 1975; to further provide for the process to exempt a
student at a public K-12 school from vaccine requirements for
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student at a public K-12 school from vaccine requirements for
religious reasons; and to require public institutions of
higher education to provide medical and religious exemptions
to vaccine or testing requirements.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the Alabama Vaccination Exemption Bill.
Section 2. Section 16-30-3, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§16-30-3
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply ifin
either of the following scenarios :
(1)a. In the absence of an epidemic or immediate threat
thereof, the The parent or guardian of the child shall object
thereto objects in writing on grounds that such the
vaccination immunization or testing conflicts with his or her
religious tenets and practices ; or.
b. A written statement provided by a child's parent or
guardian to the local board of education declaring that he or
she wishes to exempt his or her child from any vaccination or
testing requirement pursuant to this subdivision shall
constitute an exemption. The parent or guardian shall not be
required to explain the reason for the exemption, certify the
exemption with any third party, or otherwise receive approval
from the local board of education or any other entity.
(2) Certification by a competent medical authority
providing individual exemption from the required immunization
vaccination or testing is presented to the admissions officer
of the school."
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of the school."
Section 3. A public institution of higher education, as
defined in Section 16-5-1, Code of Alabama 1975, shall not
require a student to receive any vaccine or be tested for any
disease as a condition for enrollment or attendance unless the
public institution of higher education offers both of the
following exemptions to the vaccine and testing requirements:
(1) A religious exemption. A student wishing to be
exempt pursuant to this subdivision may submit a written
statement to the public institution of higher education
declaring that he or she wishes to be exempt because the
vaccination or testing conflicts with his or her religious
tenets and practices. The student shall not be required to
explain the reason for the exemption, certify the exemption
with any third party, or otherwise receive approval from the
public institution of higher education or any other entity.
(2) A medical exemption. A student wishing to be exempt
pursuant to this subdivision may submit to the public
institution of higher education a written statement from a
competent medical authority certifying that the student is
exempt from the required vaccination or testing.
Section 4. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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