77R10564 CAS-F                           
         By Green, Dutton, et al.                              H.B. No. 1776
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1776:
         By Grusendorf                                     C.S.H.B. No. 1776
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the establishment of Celebrate Freedom Week in public
 1-3     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 last full week of classes in
1-10     September shall be recognized in public schools as Celebrate
1-11     Freedom Week.  Celebrate Freedom Week must include at least three
1-12     hours of appropriate instruction, as determined by each school
1-13     district, in each social studies class.  The instruction shall
1-14     include an in-depth study of the intent, meaning, and importance of
1-15     the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution,
1-16     including the Bill of Rights, in their historical context.  The
1-17     study of the Declaration of Independence shall include the
1-18     relationship of the ideas expressed in that document to subsequent
1-19     American history, including the relationship of its ideas to the
1-20     rich diversity of our people as a nation of immigrants, the
1-21     American Revolution, the formulation of the United States
1-22     Constitution, and the abolitionist movement, which led to the
1-23     Emancipation Proclamation and the women's suffrage movement.
1-24     During Celebrate Freedom Week, a school district shall require
 2-1     students in grade levels 3 through 12 to recite the text quoted
 2-2     below at the beginning of each school day:
 2-3     WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created
 2-4     equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
 2-5     unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the
 2-6     Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are
 2-7     instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent
 2-8     of the Governed . . . .
 2-9     On written request from a student's parent or guardian, a school
2-10     district shall excuse the student from the recitation required by
2-11     this subsection.  The provision of this subsection requiring the
2-12     recitation does not apply to a student who:
2-13                 (1)  has a conscientious objection to the recitation;
2-14     or
2-15                 (2)  is the child of a representative of a foreign
2-16     government to whom the United States government extends diplomatic
2-17     immunity.
2-18           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
2-19     school year.
2-20           (b)  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote
2-21     of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided
2-22     by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does
2-23     not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
2-24     effect September 1, 2001.