AL SB294

Public K-12 schools and public charter schools may employ or accept campus chaplains as volunteers beginning with the 2024-2025 school year to provide support, services, and programs without State Board of Education certification.

Campus chaplains must have completed a recognized chaplain training program and must comply with criminal history background information checks before beginning employment or volunteer service.

Public schools are prohibited from employing or accepting as volunteers any individual adjudicated or convicted of an offense requiring sex offender registration under Alabama law.

Each local board of education and public charter school governing body must take a recorded vote by April 1, 2025, on whether to authorize schools in their jurisdiction to employ or accept campus chaplains as volunteers.

The act becomes effective October 1, 2024.