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-HB659 INTRODUCED
-Page 0
-HB659
-ART4R77-1
-By Representatives Chestnut, Daniels, Lawrence
-RFD: Education Policy
-First Read: 31-Mar-26
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-ART4R77-1 02/24/2026 OW (L)OW 2026-1030
+FN-TBECH15-1
 Page 1
-First Read: 31-Mar-26
-SYNOPSIS:
-This bill would establish the Bill of Rights in
-the Classroom Act.
-This bill would require the State Department of
-Education to publish a standardized version of the Bill
-of Rights for use by local boards of education.
-This bill would require the display of the Bill
-of Rights in public school classrooms and on the
-website of each local board of education.
-This bill would authorize parents to report
-noncompliance with this act to the local superintendent
-of education.
-This bill would authorize declaratory and
-injunctive relief if the local board of education fails
-to cure the alleged violation.
-This bill would also permit courts to award
-reasonable attorney fees and costs to a prevailing
-plaintiff.
-A BILL
-TO BE ENTITLED
-AN ACT
-Relating to public K-12 education; to establish the
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-HB659 INTRODUCED
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-Relating to public K-12 education; to establish the
-Bill of Rights in the Classroom Act; to require the State
-Department of Education to publish a standardized version of
-the Bill of Rights for use by local boards of education; to
-require display of the Bill of Rights in public school
-classrooms and on the websites of local boards of education;
-to provide a process for the reporting of noncompliant
-schools; to provide a remedy for continued noncompliance; and
-to permit courts to award reasonable attorney fees and costs.
-BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
-Section 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as
-the Bill of Rights in the Classroom Act.
-Section 2.  The Legislature finds and declares the
-following:
-(1) The first 10 amendments to the United States
-Constitution, commonly known as the Bill of Rights, enshrine
-fundamental protections of individual liberty and limit the
-powers of government.
-(2) Civic literacy is essential to the preservation of
-constitutional self government.
-(3) Displaying the Bill of Rights in public school
-classrooms serves an educational purpose and reinforces shared
-civic principles.
-Section 3.  For purposes of this act, the following
-terms have the following meanings:
-(1) BILL OF RIGHTS. The first 10 amendments to the
-Constitution of the United States as ratified in 1791.
-(2) CLASSROOM. Any room in which public school students
-receive regular instructional services.
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-HB659 INTRODUCED
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-receive regular instructional services.
-(3) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Education.
-(4) PARENT. A parent or legal guardian of a student
-enrolled in a public school.
-(5) PUBLIC SCHOOL. Any elementary or secondary school
-operated by a public school district or chartered under state
-law.
-Section 4.  (a) On or before January 1, 2027, the
-department shall publish a standardized version of the Bill of
-Rights for use by local boards of education, which shall
-include the full and accurate text of the Bill of Rights.
-(b) The text shall consist solely of the official
-language of the Bill of Rights without additional commentary,
-interpretation, or partisan material.
-(c) The department shall make the standardized text
-available in printable electronic format at no cost to local
+FISCAL NOTE
+House Bill 659
+Committee: Education Policy Sponsor: Representative Prince Chestnut
+Analyst: John Friedenreich Date: 04/07/2026
+House Bill 659 as introduced would increase the administrative obligations of the State
+Department of Education to publish a standardized version of the Bill of Rights by January 1,
+2027, and to make a printable electronic format of the document available at no-cost to the local
 boards of education.
-Section 5.  Before the 2027-2028 school year, each local
-board of education shall post the text of the standardized
-version of the Bill of Rights, as published by the department
-pursuant to Section 4, in a prominent location on its official
-website.
-Section 6.  (a) Beginning with the 2027-2028 school
-year, each local board of education shall display the
-standardized version of the Bill of Rights, pursuant to
-Section 4, on a poster or framed document in all public school
-classrooms.
-(b) The poster or framed document required by
-subsection (a) shall:
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-HB659 INTRODUCED
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-subsection (a) shall:
-(1) Consist solely of the text of the standardized
-version of the Bill of Rights, as published by the department
-pursuant to Section 4;
-(2) Be of sufficient size and clarity to be readable by
-students in the classroom; and
-(3) Be conspicuously displayed in each classroom.
-Section 7.  (a) A parent may provide written notice to
-the local superintendent of education alleging noncompliance
-with this act.
-(b) If the local board of education fails to cure the
-alleged violation within 30 days after receipt of notice, the
-parent may bring an action for declaratory and injunctive
-relief in a court of competent jurisdiction.
-(c) A prevailing plaintiff may be awarded reasonable
-attorney fees and costs.
-Section 8.  This act shall become effective on October
-1, 2026.
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+This bill would also increase the obligations of the local boards of education to display a
+physical copy of the standardized version of the Bill of Rights in every classroom beginning in
+the 2027-2028 school year, which would have an estimated aggregate fiscal impact of greater
+than $50,000 annually on all local boards of education and is subject to the provisions of Section
+111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022.