83R4858 JSL-D | ||
By: Farney | H.B. No. 773 |
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relating to a requirement that students at an open-enrollment | ||
charter school recite the pledges of allegiance to the United | ||
States flag and the state flag. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Sections 25.082(b), (c), and (d), Education | ||
Code, are amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) The board of trustees of each school district and the | ||
governing board of each open-enrollment charter school shall | ||
require students, once during each school day at each campus | ||
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(1) the pledge of allegiance to the United States flag | ||
in accordance with 4 U.S.C. Section 4[ |
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(2) the pledge of allegiance to the state flag in | ||
accordance with Subchapter C, Chapter 3100, Government Code. | ||
(c) On written request from a student's parent or guardian, | ||
a school district or open-enrollment charter school shall excuse | ||
the student from reciting a pledge of allegiance under Subsection | ||
(b). | ||
(d) The board of trustees of each school district and the | ||
governing board of each open-enrollment charter school shall | ||
provide for the observance of one minute of silence at each campus | ||
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allegiance to the United States and Texas flags under Subsection | ||
(b). During the one-minute period, each student may, as the student | ||
chooses, reflect, pray, meditate, or engage in any other silent | ||
activity that is not likely to interfere with or distract another | ||
student. Each teacher or other school employee in charge of | ||
students during that period shall ensure that each of those | ||
students remains silent and does not act in a manner that is likely | ||
to interfere with or distract another student. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 | ||
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, 2013. |