House Bill hb0885

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 885

        By Representative Melvin






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to recitation of the

  3         Declaration of Independence; creating s.

  4         233.0659, F.S.; providing legislative findings;

  5         requiring a portion of the Declaration of

  6         Independence to be recited daily by public

  7         school students; providing an effective date.

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

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11         Section 1.  Section 233.0659, Florida Statutes, is

12  created to read:

13         233.0659  Recitation of the Declaration of

14  Independence.--

15         (1)  The Legislature finds and declares that:

16         (a)  The horrific attack on America and its ideals on

17  September 11, 2001, mandated that a war be declared against

18  the inhumane barbarism of terrorists. It promises to be a long

19  war. The strongest weapon in our arsenal is the firm American

20  character informed by the reasoned principles of the

21  Declaration of Independence. Reason is the strongest weapon

22  against the mindless fear the terrorist seeks.

23         (b)  In writing the Declaration of Independence, in

24  addition to listing the specific grievances of the American

25  colonies against the British King and Parliament, Thomas

26  Jefferson set forth in 55 words a statement of the fundamental

27  human principles of government upon which the new nation was

28  to be founded, and this statement continues to have resonance

29  long after the contents of the remainder of the document have

30  been forgotten.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                 HB 885

    556-260-02






  1         (2)  To underscore the importance of this statement in

  2  forming American character, at the beginning of each school

  3  day, public school principals and teachers shall conduct an

  4  oral recitation by students of the following words of the

  5  Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be

  6  self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are

  7  endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that

  8  among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

  9  That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among

10  Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the

11  governed."

12         (3)  Student recitation of this statement from the

13  Declaration of Independence shall serve to reaffirm the

14  American ideals of individual liberty.

15         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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18                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Requires public school students to recite daily a portion
20    of the Declaration of Independence to underscore its
      importance in forming American character and to reaffirm
21    the American ideals of individual liberty.

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