Public high schools; students excused from class for scholarship acceptance, college commitment, military enlistment

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide detailed information about specific requirements for meeting space beyond internet access and seating, so this detail was removed from the summary.

High School Students Can Miss Class for Important Events

This law allows high school students to miss class when they sign commitment letters during National Signing Day activities, and requires schools to provide meeting space with internet access and seating.

What This Bill Does

• Students who sign commitment letters as part of the National Signing Day for athletic scholarships, college or university commitments, apprenticeship programs, and military enlistments can be excused from school classes.
• Schools must give students a place to meet that has internet and chairs.
• Guests are allowed to attend these events based on local rules set by the school board.
• The principal of each high school can let other students miss class if they want to watch or participate in these important signing ceremonies.

Who It Names or Affects

• High school students who sign commitment letters for scholarships, college, apprenticeship programs, or military service during National Signing Day activities.
• School principals and staff responsible for organizing and accommodating the events.
• Guests invited by students to attend their signing ceremonies.

Terms To Know

National Signing Day

A day when high school athletes sign letters of intent with colleges or universities, often accompanied by a ceremony.

Commitment letter

An official document that shows an agreement between a student and a college, university, apprenticeship program, or military branch to attend or join after graduation from high school.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only applies to students who sign commitment letters during National Signing Day activities.
• Local school boards can set their own policies for allowing guests to attend these events.
• Other students must be excused by the principal, not automatically allowed to miss class.

Official Summary Text

This act: (1) requires high school students who sign commitment letters as part of the National Signing Day for athletic scholarships, postsecondary school, university, or apprenticeship program commitments, and military enlistments to be excused from class; (2) requires schools to provide meeting space with internet access and seating; and (3) authorizes other students to be excused from class and guests to attend.

Current Bill Text

HB75 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB75
11S4JLZ-3
By Representative Robertson
RFD: Education Policy
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 02-Dec-25
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HB75 Enrolled
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PFD: 02-Dec-25
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to public high schools; to require high
schools to excuse students from class to participate in
National Signing Day activities related to the acceptance of
athletic scholarships, postsecondary school educational
commitments, apprenticeship programs, and military
enlistments; and to provide reasonable accommodations for
those activities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) High school students who sign commitment
letters at a ceremony during instructional time at school as
part of organized National Signing Day activities related to
the acceptance of athletic scholarships, postsecondary school
or university educational commitments, commitments to
apprenticeship programs, and military enlistments shall be
excused from class.
(b) For activities conducted pursuant to subsection
(a):
(1) A school shall provide reasonable accommodations.
For purposes of this subdivision, reasonable accommodations
shall include, but not be limited to, meeting space with
Internet connectivity access and seating, the use of which
will not interfere with instruction;
(2) Guests may attend subject to local board of
education policy; and
(3) A school principal may excuse other students to
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HB75 Enrolled
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(3) A school principal may excuse other students to
attend.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 03-Mar-26, as amended.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 07-Apr-26 Amended and Passed
House 07-Apr-26 Concurred in Senate
Amendment
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