HB 588 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Student Religious Liberties Act of 2013 prohibiting school districts from discriminating against students or parents based on religious viewpoint or expression in public schools.

• Requires school districts to allow students to express religious beliefs in homework, artwork, and classroom assignments evaluated by ordinary academic standards without penalty or reward based on religious content.

• Mandates school districts provide students freedom to organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and other religious gatherings with the same access to school facilities and advertising opportunities as non-religious student groups.

• Requires school districts to adopt policies establishing limited public forums for student speakers at school events and graduation ceremonies with disclaimers stating the student's speech does not reflect school endorsement, utilizing neutral criteria for speaker selection.

• Permits students to wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry displaying religious messages or symbols on the same basis as other non-religious messages, effective beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.