House Bill hb0025B

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 25-B

        By Representative Mack






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to patriotic programs in the

  3         public schools; amending s. 233.0655, F.S.;

  4         requiring programs of a patriotic nature;

  5         requiring district school board rules;

  6         providing an effective date.

  7

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

  9

10         Section 1.  Section 233.0655, Florida Statutes, is

11  amended to read:

12         233.0655  Patriotic programs; rules.--Each district

13  school board shall is authorized to adopt rules to require, in

14  all of the schools of the district, programs of a patriotic

15  nature to encourage greater respect for the government of the

16  United States and its national anthem and flag, subject always

17  to other existing pertinent laws of the United States or of

18  the state. The rules shall require; provided, that when the

19  national anthem is played, students and all civilians shall

20  stand at attention, men removing the headdress, except when

21  such headdress is worn for religious purposes. The rules shall

22  require; and provided, further, that the pledge of allegiance

23  to the flag, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United

24  States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one

25  nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for

26  all," shall be recited at the beginning of the day in each

27  elementary, middle, and secondary public school in the school

28  district and shall be rendered by students standing with the

29  right hand over the heart. The pledge of allegiance to the

30  flag, as stated herein, shall be recited at the beginning of

31  the day in each elementary and secondary public school in the

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






    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 25-B

    780-110-01






  1  state. Each student shall be informed by posting a notice in a

  2  conspicuous place that the student has the right not to

  3  participate in reciting the pledge. Upon written request by

  4  his or her parent or guardian, the student must be excused

  5  from reciting the pledge. When the pledge is given, civilians

  6  must show full respect to the flag by standing at attention,

  7  men removing the headdress, except when such headdress is worn

  8  for religious purposes, as provided by Pub. L. ch. 77-435, s.

  9  7, approved June 22, 1942, 56 Stat. 377, as amended by Pub. L.

10  ch. 77-806, 56 Stat. 1074, approved December 22, 1942.

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

12  law.

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15                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Provides that each district school board shall adopt
17    rules to require programs of a patriotic nature in all
      public schools in the district.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.