By Wohlgemuth                                   H.B. No. 1501

      75R6576 ESH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to teaching the democratic values contained in certain

 1-3     historical documents in the public schools.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 28.002(h), Education Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           (h)  The State Board of Education and each school district

 1-8     shall foster the continuation of the tradition of teaching United

 1-9     States and Texas history and the free enterprise system in regular

1-10     subject matter and in reading courses and in the adoption of

1-11     textbooks.  A primary purpose of the public school curriculum is to

1-12     prepare thoughtful, active citizens who understand the importance

1-13     of patriotism and can function productively in a free enterprise

1-14     society with appreciation for the basic democratic values of our

1-15     state and national heritage.  In implementing this subsection, the

1-16     State Board of Education and each school district shall reinforce

1-17     the democratic values contained in historical national documents,

1-18     including the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence,

1-19     the United States Constitution, and the Federalist Papers.

1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998

1-21     school year.

1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-3     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-4     passage, and it is so enacted.