Alabama legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Alabama SB248: Religious instruction; elective credit for release time further provided for
Status: Signed into law, April 8, 2026
What the bill says
An Act, Relating to public K-12 education; to amend Section 16-1-20.6, Code of Alabama 1975; to further provide for the provision of released time for religious instruction during the school day.
From the enrolled text:
An Act, Relating to public K-12 education; to amend Section 16-1-20.6, Code of Alabama 1975; to further provide for the provision of released time for religious instruction during the school day. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1. Section 16-1-20.6, Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows: "§16-1-20.6 (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Alabama Released Time Credit Act. (b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) That the United States Supreme Court, in its decision in Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306 (1952), upheld the constitutionality of released time programs for religious instruction for public school students during the school day. (2) That the United States Constitution and state law allows local school districts to offer religious released time education for the benefit of public school students. (3) That the purpose of this section is to incorporate a constitutionally acceptable method of allowing school districts to offer accommodate religious released time classes and, in grades where credit is earned, to award students elective credit for classes taken during the school day in released time programs. Page released time programs. SB248 Enrolled (c) For the purposes of thisAs used in this section, the following terms have the following meaningsterm released time means a: (1) RELEASED …
Sponsors
- Shelnutt, Shay (R, SD-017) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Enacted
- : Signature Requested
- : Delivered to Governor
- : Enrolled
- : Ready to Enroll
- : Shelnutt Motion to Concur In and Adopt House Amendment to SB248
- : Third Reading in Second House
- : Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1086
- : Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1085
- : Education Policy Engrossed Substitute Offered
Votes
- Senate Roll Call #1013 (April 1, 2026): 32 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Roll Call #1086 (April 1, 2026): 66 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Roll Call #1085 (April 1, 2026): 103 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Roll Call #1084 (April 1, 2026): 98 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Roll Call #500 (February 19, 2026): 29 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Roll Call #499 (February 19, 2026): 26 yea, 3 nay, passed
Subjects: Education
Common questions
- What is SB248?
- SB248 is a bill in the Alabama Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Religious instruction; elective credit for release time further provided for.
- What does SB248 do?
- In its own words: An Act, Relating to public K-12 education; to amend Section 16-1-20.6, Code of Alabama 1975; to further provide for the provision of released time for religious instruction during the school day.
- What is the status of SB248?
- Signed into law as of April 8, 2026. Latest action: Enacted (April 8, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB248?
- Shelnutt, Shay (R, SD-017).
- Where is the official record for SB248?
- On the Alabama Legislature website: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/instrument/2026RS/SB248
Source: official Alabama record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.