Religious instruction, elective credit for release time further provided for

HB 342 requires all Alabama public school districts to adopt policies allowing students to leave class during the school day for religious instruction at private entities, with parental consent. The bill mandates that schools cannot use public funds for instruction (only minimal administrative costs), must verify attendance records, and prohibits school staff from providing religious education. Students attending such programs may earn elective credit, and transportation remains the responsibility of parents or private entities. This policy change affects K-12 public school students across Alabama, making religious instruction during school hours a mandatory option for school boards rather than an optional one. The bill cites the 1952 Supreme Court case Zorach v. Clauson as precedent for this constitutionally permissible approach.