The bill amends Section 16-40A-2 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to establish new requirements for sex education and human reproductive health curricula in public K-12 schools. It mandates that these programs focus on sexual risk avoidance and promote abstinence as the only effective means to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Key changes include the insertion of definitions emphasizing abstinence as the best health practice for unmarried individuals, the prohibition of abortion promotion and contraceptive demonstrations, and the requirement for age-appropriate, medically accurate materials. Parents or guardians are granted the right to opt their children out of these programs, and the Attorney General is given the authority to enforce compliance with the new provisions.

Additionally, the bill revises existing language by replacing "psychologically sound methods of resisting" with "knowledge and skills to resist" unwanted peer pressure, while expanding the curriculum to cover topics such as cyberbullying, sexting, and the legal implications of these activities. It mandates comprehensive instruction on parenting skills, the impact of teenage pregnancy, and medically sound information regarding fetal and maternal health. The bill also imposes restrictions on the content of sex education, prohibiting misinformation about contraception efficacy and referrals for abortion services. Local boards of education are required to use only those individuals or organizations that endorse sexual risk avoidance, and the act is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-40A-2
Enrolled: 16-40A-2