Bill would require schools across Alabama to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day or lose 25% of funding

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A new bill pre-filed in the Alabama House of Representatives seeks to amend the state constitution to require school districts hold the Pledge of Allegiance every day, or face dire financial consequences.

The bill, HB43, was filed Thursday by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, would amend part of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022 to require public school boards statewide to adopt a policy requiring that the Pledge of Allegiance be held to the American flag at the start of each school day.

In addition, the bill would also require school boards to decide whether or not to adopt policies allowing both students and faculty to “voluntarily participate in a daily prayer and a reading of the Bible or other religious text.” This would be held before normal school hours, would require a consent form to participate and would not replace instructional time in class.

Part of the bill also outlines punishment for school systems who refuse to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance or adopt a prayer policy to have up to 25% of their funding withheld.

“This bill would also authorize the Legislature to further reduce the funding to a local board of education following continued violations,” the bill stated.

Ingram had introduced a similar prayer bill during the 2025 legislative session, but it did not go past committee.

The original version of the pledge was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy as part of a campaign in Youth’s Companion magazine to promote more flag honoring.

Other legislators have similarly tried to enforce mandate patriotic reflection in schools, such as Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, who has already pre-filed a bill requiring that “The Star Spangled Banner” be played weekly in all public schools. He and other co-sponsors tried to push the bill forward last session, but fell short.

The Alabama Legislature will reconvene on January 13, 2026.

HB43 can be read in its entirety here: