SB 1269 Summary

• School district and charter school governing boards may authorize volunteer school chaplains to provide support, services, or programs to students with adoption of a written policy.

• School districts and charter schools must maintain and post a list of approved volunteer chaplains on their website, including each chaplain's religious affiliation.

• Volunteer chaplains must satisfy background check requirements, hold a bachelor's degree, be official members of a local religious group, and either hold a graduate degree in counseling/theology or have at least seven years of chaplaincy experience plus two additional years in a local religious group.

• Schools must notify parents and obtain written parental consent before students receive services from or participate in programs offered by volunteer chaplains, and must allow parents to select a specific chaplain from the available list.

• School principals may refuse to include a chaplain on the list if they fail to meet qualifications or if allowing them would contradict the school's pedagogical interests.