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AN ACT
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relating to public school elective courses providing academic study |
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of the Bible offered to certain students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A school district may offer to students in grade six |
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[nine] or above: |
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(1) an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old |
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Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New |
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Testament and its impact; or |
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(2) an elective course that combines the courses |
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described by Subdivision (1). |
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(f) A teacher of a course offered under this section must |
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hold a certificate [minimum of a High School Composite |
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Certification] in language arts, social studies, or history that |
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qualifies the teacher to teach at the grade level at which the |
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course is offered with, where practical, a minor in religion or |
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biblical studies. A teacher selected to teach a course under this |
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section shall successfully complete staff development training |
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outlined in Section 21.459. A course under this section may [only] |
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be taught only by a teacher who has successfully completed training |
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under Section 21.459. |
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SECTION 2. The State Board of Education is required to |
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implement Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, only if the legislature appropriates money specifically |
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for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money |
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specifically for that purpose, the State Board of Education may, |
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but is not required to, implement Sections 28.011(a) and (f), |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act, using other appropriations |
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available for the purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2681 was passed by the House on May |
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14, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 119, Nays 8, 1 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 2681 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 1, |
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1 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2681 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays |
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2. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |