House Bill 1773

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1773

        By Representatives Bronson, Roberts, Dennis, Arnall, Diaz
    de la Portilla, Byrd, Futch, Crist, Ogles, Constantine,
    Fasano, Murman, Goode, Morroni, Peaden, Flanagan, Posey,
    Wallace, Wise, Maygarden, Dockery, Alexander, Putnam, Kelly,
    (Additional Sponsors on Last Printed Page)


  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; authorizing

  3         district school boards to allow the use of an

  4         opening or closing message at secondary

  5         school-related, noncompulsory student

  6         assemblies; providing requirements; providing

  7         legislative intent; providing an effective

  8         date.

  9

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

11

12         Section 1.  Any district school board is authorized to

13  allow the use of a brief opening or closing message, or both,

14  at any secondary school-related sporting event or

15  noncompulsory student assembly including, but not limited to,

16  graduation.  Such message may not exceed 2 minutes in length

17  and may include, but is not limited to, an invocation, prayer,

18  poetry, or inspirational thought.  If the participating

19  student body chooses to use such a message:

20         (1)  The message must be given by a student volunteer,

21  chosen by the participating student body.

22         (2)  The content of the message must be prepared by the

23  student volunteer and shall not be monitored or otherwise

24  reviewed by the district school board, its officers, or its

25  employees.

26

27  The purpose of this act is to allow the students to

28  participate and direct their own message without monitoring or

29  review by school officials.

30         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

31  law.

                                  1

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1773

    166-186-99






  1            *****************************************

  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Authorizes district school boards to allow the use of an
  4    opening or closing message at secondary school-related,
      noncompulsory student assemblies.  Provides requirements
  5    for such messages.  Provides legislative intent.

  6

  7

  8            *****************************************

  9                       ADDITIONAL SPONSORS

10  Johnson, Melvin, Ball, Kilmer, Cantens, Pruitt, Bitner and
    Harrington
11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  2