| |
|
| |
|
|
By: Wilson, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Buckingham) |
H.B. No. 2681 |
|
|
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 17, 2021; |
|
|
May 17, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on |
|
|
Education; May 24, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable |
|
|
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; |
|
|
May 24, 2021, sent to printer.) |
| Click here to see the committee vote |
| |
|
|
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2681 |
By: Powell |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to public school elective courses providing academic study |
|
|
of the Bible offered to certain students. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) A school district may offer to students in grade six |
|
|
[nine] or above: |
|
|
(1) an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old |
|
|
Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New |
|
|
Testament and its impact; or |
|
|
(2) an elective course that combines the courses |
|
|
described by Subdivision (1). |
|
|
(f) A teacher of a course offered under this section must |
|
|
hold a certificate [minimum of a High School Composite |
|
|
Certification] in language arts, social studies, or history that |
|
|
qualifies the teacher to teach at the grade level at which the |
|
|
course is offered with, where practical, a minor in religion or |
|
|
biblical studies. A teacher selected to teach a course under this |
|
|
section shall successfully complete staff development training |
|
|
outlined in Section 21.459. A course under this section may [only] |
|
|
be taught only by a teacher who has successfully completed training |
|
|
under Section 21.459. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The State Board of Education is required to |
|
|
implement Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, as amended by |
|
|
this Act, only if the legislature appropriates money specifically |
|
|
for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money |
|
|
specifically for that purpose, the State Board of Education may, |
|
|
but is not required to, implement Sections 28.011(a) and (f), |
|
|
Education Code, as amended by this Act, using other appropriations |
|
|
available for the purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |