To Authorize A Public School To Adopt A Policy For One Or More Student Mentors.
SB266 would authorize Arkansas public schools, including open-enrollment public charter schools, to adopt a policy allowing one or more school chaplains to provide support, services, and programs for students, school staff, and parents. The bill requires the school to define the chaplain’s role in policy, notify parents that chaplain services are available, and obtain parental consent before any student participates in or receives chaplain-provided support, services, or programs. If a school uses more than one chaplain, the consent form must allow parents to choose among chaplains and see each chaplain’s religious affiliation, if any.
The bill also requires schools that adopt such a policy to publish a list of chaplains, including religious affiliation, on the school website. Before a chaplain may access school grounds while students are present or have direct contact with students, the school must pay for a statewide and nationwide criminal background check, fingerprinting, and a Child Maltreatment Central Registry check. Schools may not employ or accept as volunteers any chaplain who is required to register as a sex offender. The bill defines “school chaplain” as a member of the clergy who volunteers or is employed by a public school and who functions in a pluralistic environment while supporting the free exercise of religion by all individuals in the school.
SB266 would amend Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 17, Subchapter 3 by creating a new section governing school chaplains in public schools. It would not require schools to adopt chaplains, but it would establish the legal framework for districts and charter schools that choose to do so, including parental consent procedures, public disclosure requirements, and mandatory screening and disqualification rules. The bill would also shift the cost of criminal and child maltreatment background checks to the public school and require information sharing with the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition from legislative proceedings. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed to expand optional faith-based support services in schools while adding safeguards such as parental consent, public notice, and background checks. The overall framing suggests a policy intended to be permissive rather than mandatory, with an emphasis on parental choice and student safety.
The likely points of contention are the role of religion in public schools, whether chaplains should be permitted to provide services to students in a public-school setting, and how to balance religious support with constitutional concerns about separation of church and state. Supporters would likely emphasize voluntary participation, parental consent, and screening requirements, while critics may object to school-sponsored religious access, the publication of chaplains’ religious affiliations, or the potential for unequal access among faith traditions. Because no transcripts or votes were provided, the specific positions of legislators or stakeholders are not documented here.