Amendment 4: Weekly Broadcast of The Star-Spangled Banner in Public Schools
Statewide — all of Alabama
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Referred to the ballot by the Alabama Legislature as Senate Bill 5 (Act 2026-424), sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen. Alabama has no citizen initiative; the Legislature refers amendments to voters under Sections 284 and 285 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, and a majority of those voting on the question approves. The Senate passed it on March 3, 2026 (22-5, per the Alabama Reflector) and the House on April 9, 2026.[1][2][4]
The question on the ballot
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours. Proposed by Act 2026-424.[1][2]
The amendment would require each local board of education to adopt a policy requiring every public K-12 school to broadcast The Star-Spangled Banner during school hours at least once a week, using a recording of the first stanza archived in the Library of Congress and available on its website. A board could alternatively allow a school-sanctioned band, choral program, vocal group or vocalist to perform the first stanza from original sheet music archived in the Library of Congress. The enrolled Act includes legislative findings on the anthem's history. The Fair Ballot Commission's statement says: "There are no costs or taxes associated with Amendment 4."[1][2]
A YES vote means
Adds to the Alabama Constitution a requirement that local boards adopt policies for a weekly school-hours broadcast (Library of Congress recording) or sanctioned performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner in every public K-12 school.
A NO vote means
The Alabama Constitution is not changed: it continues to contain no requirement that schools broadcast or allow performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner.
The law today
The Alabama Constitution does not currently require local boards of education to adopt policies requiring each public K-12 school to broadcast or allow the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner during school hours.[2]
Official fiscal estimate
The Fair Ballot Commission states: "There are no costs or taxes associated with Amendment 4."[2]
Arguments made for
- Sen. Gerald Allen (R-21), the sponsor, said: "It's an opportunity for these children to not only know it, but a good opportunity to sing it as well."[3]
- Pickens County schools superintendent Shawn McDaniel said: "I certainly like this because I believe schools play an important role in helping students develop and appreciate our country and the value it represents, an opportunity to reflect on our nation's history."[3]
Arguments made against
- Sen. Vivian Davis Figures (D-Mobile) voted against the bill in the Senate and said: “I just don’t think it should be a constitutional amendment.”[4]
On record in support
On record in opposition
- Sen. Vivian Davis Figures (D-Mobile), who voted against the bill in the Senate on the ground that it should not be a constitutional amendment.[4]
Research notes & limits
The Alabama Secretary of State's page of Fair Ballot Commission ballot statements (sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/ballot-measures/statewide) lists exactly four statewide amendments for the Nov. 3, 2026 general election, numbered 1-4 in this order; the question text is the description in the enrolled Act, confirmed against the Commission's ballot statement (which adds "Proposed by Act 2026-xxx"). Alabama issues no voter pamphlet and no registered ballot-measure committees were found. No published argument against Amendment 4 was found in the sources reviewed. The House vote count is omitted: the official Act shows only the April 9 passage date and the count was not independently found. The Senate count (22-5) is from the Alabama Reflector's report of the vote. No registered opposition group or campaign finance filings were found for Amendment 4; the one opposing statement is Sen. Vivian Davis Figures' floor remark reported by the Alabama Reflector (March 4, 2026), not an organized campaign. Sen. Rodger Smitherman's remarks about the song's third stanza were not used: they do not state a position on the amendment.
Sources · 4
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.Senate Bill 5 (2026 Regular Session), enrolled · Alabama Legislature Official record
- 2.Fair Ballot Commission ballot statement for Statewide Amendment 4 (Nov. 3, 2026) · Alabama Fair Ballot Commission (via Alabama Secretary of State) · 2026-08 Official record
- 3.National anthem could soon be part of the school day in Alabama · WBRC FOX6 News · 2026-03-06 News report
- 4.Alabama Senate-passed bill would require weekly national anthem broadcasts in schools · Alabama Reflector · 2026-03-04 News report