HB568 - Alabama Released Time Credit Act

• Authorizes local boards of education to allow high school students to be excused from school to attend religious instruction classes conducted by private entities with parental written consent.

• Permits students who participate in released time religious instruction to earn up to one elective course credit unit as determined by the local board of education.

• Requires that the private sponsoring entity maintain attendance records, provide transportation, assume liability, and use no public funds or school personnel for the religious instruction.

• Prohibits students from being released from required core curriculum classes to attend religious instruction and designates released time attendance as not counted as absence from school.

• Becomes effective immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor.