House passes bill to require the pledge of allegiance to be led in K-12 public schools and allow systems to allow student-led prayers in schools

March 10, 2026 – MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama House of Representatives passed a constitutional amendment that would impose a Pledge of Allegiance mandate and authorize school boards to allow voluntary school prayers.

House Bill 511 (HB5111) is sponsored by state Representative Reed Ingram (R-Montgomery).

Rep. Reed Ingram said, "I'm not trying to cram religion down anyone's throat or make it to where they're mandated to do anything. A lot of times, kids don't have the option to pray and they don't know what prayer means."

This is a constitutional amendment so it would have to be voted on by the people of Alabama before it could be implemented. Ingram said that constituents have voiced their support for the bill/

"They want the opportunity to vote on this constitutional amendment," said Ingram.

Ingram has stressed that the prayer period must be student‑initiated and student‑led, and that participation is voluntary. No child has to pray and no child would be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

"If a child wants to stand up and lead the prayer in the classroom at the beginning of class, then they have that right," said Ingram. "It's nondenominational."

Ingram said that the bill is about exposing students to "what this country was built on - in God we trust."

HB511 proposes a constitutional amendment that would require every local board of education in Alabama to adopt policies mandating that all public K–12 schools conduct the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of each school day. The amendment specifies that students must be given the opportunity to recite the pledge but may not be compelled to participate. This codifies existing practice in many districts while elevating it to a statewide constitutional requirement. The measure reflects a broader legislative trend of embedding patriotic observances into daily school routines and ensuring uniformity across school systems.

The amendment also authorizes local school boards to adopt policies allowing student‑initiated, student‑led prayer in public schools. Under the text, any prayer must be voluntary, initiated by a student, and led by a student, and no student may be required to participate. The bill further requires that any policy adopted must explicitly protect a student's right to opt out of both the pledge and prayer based on personal beliefs. This structure is designed to align with federal constitutional standards, which permit voluntary, student‑led prayer but prohibit school‑sponsored or coercive religious activity.

HB511 also establishes a process for reporting and reviewing alleged violations. Complaints may be submitted to the local superintendent, who is required to review them. If ratified by voters, the amendment would be added to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, with the Code Commissioner authorized to make nonsubstantive edits for clarity and formatting. The bill passed the Alabama House on March 10, 2026, by a vote of 94–3, with six abstentions, and will proceed to a statewide vote as required for all constitutional amendments.

The bipartisan bill passed the House of Representatives 94 to 3.

HB511 now goes to the Alabama Senate for their consideration.

(A.I. contributed to this report.)

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