A new Alabama law on school sex education includes a restriction on outside organizations that most child care owners haven't heard about yet.
Most child care owners in Alabama know that SB209 is a public school sex education bill. What many don't realize is that one provision—buried in the statute—could affect whether their business can partner with local school districts on certain health or educational initiatives.
SB209 is fundamentally a K-12 public school mandate. It requires schools to teach sexual risk avoidance as part of sex education curriculum, establishes new parental notice and opt-out rights, and gives the Alabama Attorney General authority to enforce the law. The bill passed and will take effect October 1, 2026.
For most child care operators, the headline provisions don't directly apply—you're not running a public school sex ed program. But there's one subsection that changes the landscape for any child care business considering a formal partnership or contract with a school district.
Section 1, subsection (f)(1), found on page 6, lines 150–153 of the bill, bars local boards of education from contracting with or referring families to any outside organization that demonstrates, distributes, or refers students to contraceptive methods or devices.
In plain terms: if your child care center has a contract with a school district—whether for before-school care, after-school programs, health education support, or any other service—and your organization's policies, materials, or referrals include information about contraception, that contract could be prohibited under this law.
This restriction applies most directly to:
If your business operates independently and has no contractual relationship with a school district, this provision has no direct legal impact on your operations. If you do contract with schools, or are considering it, the restriction is real and enforceable.
If you have an existing contract with a school district, review it carefully and consider whether any of your current materials, policies, or referral practices could be read as demonstrating or referring to contraceptives. The law takes effect October 1, 2026—you have time to plan.
If you're thinking about partnering with a school district, understand this restriction before negotiating terms. It may affect which services you can offer or which materials you can use in a school-based setting.
The law doesn't prohibit child care centers from having their own independent policies on health education or family resources. It only restricts what school districts can contract for or refer to. Your center's internal practices remain your own decision.
Source: Alabama SB209, Section 1, subsection (f)(1), effective October 1, 2026.