Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 11 amends the Education Code to authorize the board of trustees of a public school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school that is not operated by or affiliated with a religious organization to adopt, by record vote on a resolution, a policy requiring every campus of the district or charter school to provide students and employees with an opportunity to participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text on each school day. Among other provisions, the bill requires the policy to condition participation in the period on the submission of a signed consent form that includes, among other components, an express waiver of the right to bring a claim arising out of the adoption of the policy. The bill requires the policy to prohibit the provision of a prayer or reading of the Bible or other religious text over a public address system and sets out provisions authorizing an employee or parent or guardian of a student to revoke consent to participate.