| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in |
|
|
religious speech or prayer while on duty. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 22.012. RELIGIOUS SPEECH OR PRAYER. The right of an |
|
|
employee of a school district or open-enrollment charter school to |
|
|
engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty may not be |
|
|
infringed on by the district or school or another state |
|
|
governmental entity, unless the infringement is: |
|
|
(1) necessary to further a compelling state interest; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(2) narrowly tailored using the least restrictive |
|
|
means to achieve that compelling state interest. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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, 2025. |