Bill Text: TX SB2090 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to inclusion of Bible instruction in the required English language arts curriculum for public school students.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-21 - Referred to Education [SB2090 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB2090-Introduced.html
| 86R11142 TSS-D | ||
| By: Hughes | S.B. No. 2090 | |
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| relating to inclusion of Bible instruction in the required English | ||
| language arts curriculum for public school students. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsections (x) and (y) to read as follows: | ||
| (x) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the | ||
| English language arts curriculum under Subsection (a)(1)(A), the | ||
| State Board of Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills | ||
| that include instruction on the content, characters, poetry, and | ||
| narratives of the Bible that are prerequisites to understanding | ||
| United States and Texas history and contemporary society and | ||
| culture. In adopting essential knowledge and skills under this | ||
| subsection, the board: | ||
| (1) may not require a student to use a specific | ||
| translation as the sole text of the Bible and must allow the student | ||
| to use a different translation from that chosen by the board of | ||
| trustees of the student's school district or the student's teacher; | ||
| and | ||
| (2) shall ensure: | ||
| (A) all applicable federal and state guidelines | ||
| regarding maintaining religious neutrality and accommodating the | ||
| diverse religious views, traditions, and perspectives of students | ||
| in their school district are followed; and | ||
| (B) a particular religion, nonreligious faith, | ||
| or religious perspective is not endorsed, favored, promoted, | ||
| disfavored, or shown hostility. | ||
| (y) Nothing in Subsection (x) is intended to violate any | ||
| provision of the United States Constitution, federal law, the Texas | ||
| Constitution, or any state law. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 | ||
| 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, 2019. | ||
