88R965 KJE-D

By: Campbell S.B. No. 164

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the display of the national motto and the founding documents of the United States in public schools and the inclusion of an elective course on the founding principles of the United States in the curriculum for public high school students.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 1.004, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1.004. DISPLAY OF NATIONAL MOTTO AND FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. (a) A public elementary or secondary school [or an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003] must display in a conspicuous place in each building of the school [or institution] a durable poster or framed copy of the United States national motto, "In God We Trust," and the founding documents of the United States if the poster or framed copy meets the requirements of Subsection (b) and is:

(1) donated for display at the school [or institution]; or

(2) purchased from private donations and made available to the school [or institution].

(a-1) In this section, "founding documents of the United States" means:

(1) the United States Declaration of Independence;

(2) the United States Constitution; and

(3) Essays 10 and 57 of the Federalist Papers.

(b) A poster or framed copy [of the national motto] described by Subsection (a):

(1) must contain:

(A) the national motto, a representation of the United States flag centered under the national motto, and a representation of the state flag;

(B) one or more of the founding documents of the United States; or

(C) both the items described by Paragraph (A) and one or more items described by Paragraph (B); and

(2) may not depict any words, images, or other information other than the items [representations] listed in Subdivision (1).

(c) A public elementary or secondary school [and an institution of higher education] may accept and use private donations for the purposes of Subsection (a).

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.0111 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.0111. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES ELECTIVE. (a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school program shall provide an elective course on the founding principles of the United States that meets the requirements for a one-half elective credit under Section 28.025.

(b) The course must focus on the principles underlying the United States form of government, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the writings of the founding fathers of the United States.

SECTION 3. Section 28.0111, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.

SECTION 4. 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, 2023.