Bill > SB277

This bill modifies Alabama's sex education curriculum in public K-12 schools, establishing "sexual risk avoidance" as the primary approach to sex education. The bill mandates that sex education curricula emphasize abstinence as the only 100 percent effective method to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and promote abstinence outside of marriage as the best health practice for school-age individuals. The legislation requires age-appropriate and medically accurate instruction that covers topics such as the emotional and physical risks of teen sexual activity, laws related to pregnancy and child support, sexual abuse prevention, and methods to resist peer pressure. Parents must be notified at least 14 days in advance of sex education instruction and will have the opportunity to opt their children out without penalty. The bill prohibits curriculum content that misrepresents contraception, provides abortion referrals, or includes sexually explicit materials. Local school boards are restricted from working with organizations that do not endorse sexual risk avoidance or are involved with abortion services. Notably, the Attorney General is authorized to enforce these provisions by seeking injunctive relief, and the law is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.