By Solomons                                           H.B. No. 1880
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the authority of the board of trustees of a school
    1-3  district to adopt a policy permitting a period of silent reflection
    1-4  or meditation for students in public schools.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
    1-7  amended by adding Section 21.940 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 21.940.  PERIOD OF SILENT REFLECTION OR MEDITATION.  If
    1-9  authorized by a policy adopted by the board of trustees of a school
   1-10  district, at the beginning of each school day a student in the
   1-11  district may observe a brief period of silent prayer, reflection,
   1-12  or meditation to be used according to the dictates of the
   1-13  individual conscience of the student.
   1-14        SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1995-1996
   1-15  school year.
   1-16        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-21  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-22  passage, and it is so enacted.