By: Campbell, et al. S.B. No. 1776

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the inclusion of an elective course on the founding principles of the United States in the curriculum for public high school students and the posting of the founding documents of the United States in public school buildings.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 11.172 to read as follows:

Sec. 11.172. POSTING OF FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. The board of trustees of an independent school district shall permit and encourage the posting in a district classroom or school building of a copy of the founding documents of the United States, including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the writings of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

SECTION 2. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, as amended by Chapters 262 (H.B. 1597), 464 (S.B. 11), 467 (H.B. 4170), and 943 (H.B. 3), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to:

(1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal offense;

(2) the provisions in Chapter 554, Government Code; and

(3) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this title, relating to:

(A) the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;

(B) criminal history records under Subchapter C, Chapter 22;

(C) reading instruments and accelerated reading instruction programs under Section 28.006;

(D) accelerated instruction under Section 28.0211;

(E) high school graduation requirements under Section 28.025;

(F) special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;

(G) bilingual education under Subchapter B, Chapter 29;

(H) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E or E-1, Chapter 29;

(I) extracurricular activities under Section 33.081;

(J) discipline management practices or behavior management techniques under Section 37.0021;

(K) health and safety under Chapter 38;

(L) public school accountability under Subchapters B, C, D, F, G, and J, Chapter 39, and Chapter 39A;

(M) the requirement under Section 21.006 to report an educator's misconduct;

(N) intensive programs of instruction under Section 28.0213;

(O) the right of a school employee to report a crime, as provided by Section 37.148;

(P) bullying prevention policies and procedures under Section 37.0832;

(Q) the right of a school under Section 37.0052 to place a student who has engaged in certain bullying behavior in a disciplinary alternative education program or to expel the student;

(R) the right under Section 37.0151 to report to local law enforcement certain conduct constituting assault or harassment;

(S) a parent's right to information regarding the provision of assistance for learning difficulties to the parent's child as provided by Sections 26.004(b)(11) and 26.0081(c) and (d);

(T) establishment of residency under Section 25.001;

(U) [(T)] school safety requirements under Sections 37.108, 37.1081, 37.1082, 37.109, 37.113, 37.114, 37.115, 37.207, and 37.2071;

(V) [(T)] the early childhood literacy and mathematics proficiency plans under Section 11.185; [and]

(W) [(U)] the college, career, and military readiness plans under Section 11.186; and

(X) the posting of founding documents under Section 11.172.

SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.0111 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.0111. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES ELECTIVE. (a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school program shall provide an elective course on the founding principles of the United States that meets the requirements for a one-half elective credit under Section 28.025.

(b) The course must focus on the principles underlying the United States form of government, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the writings of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

SECTION 4. Section 28.0111, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.

SECTION 5. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 6. 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.