# Alabama HB8: Campus chaplains; public K-12 schools authorized to accept as volunteers, local boards of education and governing bodies authorized to vote on whether to allow, limitations provided Alabama HB8, Campus chaplains; public K-12 schools authorized to accept as volunteers, local boards of education and governing bodies authorized to vote on whether to allow, limitations provided, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mark Gidley (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-04-16 (Enacted) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB8-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama HB8 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Campus chaplains; public K-12 schools authorized to accept as volunteers, local boards of education and governing bodies authorized to vote on whether to allow, limitations provided - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-16, Enacted - Sponsor: Mark Gidley (Republican) - Cosponsors: 13 - Subjects: Education - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (427 yes, 36 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Alabama public schools can accept volunteer chaplains: benefit, low. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, with volunteer chaplains allowed starting in the 2026–2027 school year. Local school boards and public charter school governing bodies can adopt a policy through a recorded vote; participation is optional. Approved chaplains can provide support, services, and prog… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mark Gidley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Arnold Mooney (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ben Harrison (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Standridge (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ginny Shaver (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jim Carns (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kenneth Paschal (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Leigh Hulsey (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Patrick Sellers (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Phillip Rigsby (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rolanda Hollis (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Susan DuBose (Republican), House - Cosponsor: TaShina Morris (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: William Brock Colvin (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-07 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1190 | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-04-07 | Senate | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-02-24 | House | Gidley motion to Table - Adopted Roll Call 532 | pass | 80 | 22 | | | 2026-02-24 | House | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 93 | 4 | 2 | | 2026-02-24 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 533 | pass | 91 | 7 | 6 | | 2026-02-24 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 531 | pass | 97 | 3 | 1 | ## Actions (22) - 2026-04-16: Enacted (House) - 2026-04-08: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Delivered to Governor (House) - 2026-04-07: Third Reading in Second House (Senate) - 2026-04-07: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 1190 (Senate) - 2026-04-07: Ready to Enroll (House) - 2026-04-07: Enrolled (House) - 2026-04-01: Reported Out of Committee Second House (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Education Policy (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Pending Committee Action in Second House (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Third Reading in House of Origin (House) - 2026-02-24: Gidley 1st Amendment Offered (House) - 2026-02-24: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 531 (House) - 2026-02-24: Lands 1st Amendment Offered (House) - 2026-02-24: Gidley motion to Table - Adopted Roll Call 532 (House) - 2026-02-24: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 533 (House) - 2026-02-24: Engrossed (House) - 2026-02-05: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-02-04: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (House) - 2026-01-13: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Education Policy (House) - 2026-01-13: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (House) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB8-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB8-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB8-enr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for misuse of personal voter information; created (enacted) - SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 (enacted) - SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption (enacted) - HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for violations provided for (enacted) - SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitation purposes prohibited; redaction of certain information relating to financial tr… (enacted) - SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular (enacted) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB8-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB8-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB8-enr.pdf) ## Related - [HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB67-2026rs) - [SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB154-2026rs) - [SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require in…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB165-2026rs) - [HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for vio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB317-2026rs) - [SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitatio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB272-2026rs) - [SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB190-2026rs) - [Alabama bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama/bills) - [Alabama state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB8-2026rs (as of 2026-10-19).