SRC-TAG H.B. 1776 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1776
78R11625 CAS-DBy: Hughes (Nelson)
Education
5/7/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The Declaration of Independence reflects the principles and convictions
upon which the United States was founded.  The 77th Texas Legislature,
created Celebrate Freedom Week in public schools in order that students
might study the Declaration of Independence and the United States
Constitution.  H.B. 1776 sets forth provisions regarding an in-depth study
of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution as
well as daily recitation of an excerpt from the Declaration of
Independence during Celebrate Freedom Week, and moves the observance of
Celebrate Freedom Week from September to the week in November in which
Veterans' Day falls. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board of Education
in SECTION 2 of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Renumbers Section 29.903, Education Code, as added by Chapter
451, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as Section
29.907, Education Code, and amends it as follows: 
 
Sec.  29.907.  Redisgnated from Sec.  29.903.  CELEBRATE FREEDOM WEEK.
(a) Sets forth the purpose of establishing Celebrate Freedom Week in
public schools, to be observed in the week in which November 11 falls,
rather than the last week of September. Provides that for purposes of this
subsection, Sunday is considered the first day of the week. 

(b)  Deletes text authorizing Celebrate Freedom week to include
appropriate instruction, as determined by each school district, in each
social studies class. Makes a conforming change.  

SECTION 2.  (a)  Requires the State Board of Education (SBOE), by December
31, 2003, to adopt rules requiring each social studies class to include,
during Celebrate Freedom Week as provided under Section 29.907, Education
Code, or during another full school week as determined by the board of
trustees of a school district, appropriate instruction concerning the
intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the
United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, in their
historical contexts.  Requires the rules to provide for the study of the
Declaration of Independence to include the study of the relationship of
the ideas expressed in that document to subsequent American history,
including the relationship of its ideas to the rich diversity of our
people as a nation of immigrants, the American Revolution, the formulation
of the United States Constitution, and the abolitionist movement, which
led to the Emancipation Proclamation and the women's suffrage movement. 

(b)  Requires SBOE, in adopting rules under Subsection (a) of this
section, to provide for each school district to meet certain requirements
and to exempt certain students from the recitation of the Declaration of
Independence.  

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.