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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to Victims of Communism Remembrance Day in public schools |
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and the inclusion of an understanding of Victims of Communism |
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Remembrance Day in the essential knowledge and skills for |
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government under the social studies curriculum for public school |
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students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (h-9) to read as follows: |
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(h-9) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for |
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instruction in government under the social studies curriculum, the |
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State Board of Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills |
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that develop each student's knowledge of Victims of Communism |
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Remembrance Day and include instruction with information on: |
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(1) Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution; |
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(2) Joseph Stalin and the Soviet System; |
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(3) Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution; |
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(4) Vladimir Lenin and the Russian Revolution; |
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(5) Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge; |
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(6) Nicolas Maduro and the Chavismo movement; and |
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(7) the oppression experienced by people living under |
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the regimes described by Subdivisions (1) through (6), including |
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poverty, starvation, forced migration, systemic lethal violence, |
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and suppression of free expression. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.9075 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.9075. VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM REMEMBRANCE DAY. (a) To |
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educate students about the people who have fallen victim to |
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communist regimes across the world, the governor shall designate a |
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day to be known as Victims of Communism Remembrance Day in public |
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schools. |
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(b) Victims of Communism Remembrance Day shall include |
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age-appropriate instruction, as determined by each school |
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district, regarding the information described by Section |
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28.002(h-9). |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the State Board of Education shall review and revise, |
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as needed, the essential knowledge and skills of the social studies |
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curriculum as required by Section 28.002(h-9), Education Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. Section 29.9075, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |