By Green                                               H.B. No. 574
         77R3305 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the study of the Declaration of Independence and the
 1-3     United States Constitution in public schools.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subsection (l) to read as follows:
 1-7           (l)  To educate students about the sacrifices made for
 1-8     freedom in the founding of this country and the values on which
 1-9     this country was founded, the teaching of United States history
1-10     shall include an in-depth study of the Declaration of Independence
1-11     and the United States Constitution in their complete, unedited
1-12     form.  The study of the Declaration of Independence shall focus on
1-13     the following sentence: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident,
1-14     that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
1-15     Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
1-16     Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights,
1-17     Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers
1-18     from the Consent of the Governed."  The study of the United States
1-19     Constitution shall focus on the preamble to that document and the
1-20     Bill of Rights.
1-21           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
1-22     school year.
1-23           (b)  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote
1-24     of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided
 2-1     by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does
 2-2     not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
 2-3     effect September 1, 2001.