82R6478 VOO-D
 
  By: Landtroop H.B. No. 3119
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to certification required to teach public school elective
  courses on the Old and New Testaments and to students offered those
  courses.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A school district may offer to students in grade nine or
  above and to students at any district middle or junior high school
  that offers elective courses:
               (1)  an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old
  Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New
  Testament and its impact; or
               (2)  an elective course that combines the courses
  described by Subdivision (1).
         (f)  A teacher of a course offered under this section must
  hold a certificate that qualifies the teacher to teach at the grade
  level at which the course is offered regardless of the content or
  subject area the certificate qualifies the teacher to teach
  [minimum of a High School Composite Certification in language arts,
  social studies, or history with, where practical, a minor in
  religion or biblical studies].  A teacher selected to teach a course
  under this section shall successfully complete staff development
  training outlined in Section 21.459.  A course under this section
  may [only] be taught only by a teacher who has successfully
  completed training under Section 21.459.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2011-2012
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.