Senate Bill 2034

    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 2034

    By Senator Clary





    7-1035-98

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; authorizing

  3         individual district school boards by resolution

  4         to allow invocation or benediction at specified

  5         secondary-school-related events; providing

  6         legislative intent; providing an effective

  7         date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Each district school board is authorized to

12  adopt a resolution allowing the use of an invocation or a

13  benediction at a secondary-school commencement exercise, a

14  secondary-school-related sporting event, or a

15  secondary-school-related noncompulsory student assembly. The

16  resolution must provide:

17         (1)  That the use of an invocation or a benediction

18  shall be at the discretion of the students.

19         (2)  That an invocation or a benediction, if used,

20  shall be given by a student volunteer.

21         (3)  That an invocation or a benediction shall be

22  nonsectarian and nonproselytizing in nature.

23         (4)  That school personnel shall not participate in, or

24  otherwise influence the exercise of the discretion of the

25  students in, the determination of whether to use an invocation

26  or a benediction.

27         Section 2.  It is the purpose of this act to provide

28  for the solemnization and memorialization of secondary-school

29  events and ceremonies, and this act is not intended to advance

30  or endorse any religion or religious belief.

31         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 2034
    7-1035-98




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  2                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

  3    Authorizes a district school board to adopt a resolution
      allowing the use of an invocation or a benediction at
  4    specified secondary-school-related events at the
      discretion of the students.
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