House Bill hb0915e1
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CS/HB 915, First Engrossed
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public schools; amending s.
3 233.062, F.S.; directing the superintendent of
4 schools to provide for the display of various
5 historical documents in a prominent location in
6 public schools; authorizing the display of s.
7 1, Art. IX of the Florida Constitution in
8 public schools; authorizing the display of s.
9 2, Art. I of the Florida Constitution in public
10 schools; providing an effective date.
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12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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14 Section 1. Section 233.062, Florida Statutes, is
15 amended to read:
16 233.062 Permitting study of the Bible and religion;
17 permitting brief meditation period; display of motto and
18 constitution.--
19 (1) The school board may install in the public schools
20 in the district a secular program of education including, but
21 not limited to, an objective study of the Bible and of
22 religion.
23 (2) The school board may provide that a brief period,
24 not to exceed 2 minutes, for the purpose of silent prayer or
25 meditation be set aside at the start of each school day or
26 each school week in the public schools in the district.
27 (3) The superintendent of schools in each school
28 district shall provide for the display in a prominent location
29 within each school under his or her supervision of the motto
30 of the United States of America, "IN GOD WE TRUST," on an
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CS/HB 915, First Engrossed
1 appropriately framed background with minimum dimensions of 11
2 inches by 14 inches.
3 (4) The superintendent of schools in each school
4 district may provide for the display in a prominent location
5 within each school under his or her supervision of s. 1, Art.
6 IX of the Florida Constitution providing for public education:
7 "The education of children is a fundamental value of the
8 people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount
9 duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education
10 of all children residing within its borders. Adequate
11 provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe,
12 secure, and high quality system of free public schools that
13 allows students to obtain a high quality education and for the
14 establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutions of
15 higher learning and other public education programs that the
16 needs of the people may require." The display of s. 1, Art. IX
17 of the Florida Constitution shall be posted in a separate
18 place from the display of the national motto and shall be on
19 an appropriately framed background with minimum dimensions of
20 11 inches by 14 inches.
21 233.062 Permitting study of the Bible and religion;
22 permitting brief meditation period; display of motto and
23 constitution.--
24 (1) The school board may install in the public schools
25 in the district a secular program of education including, but
26 not limited to, an objective study of the Bible and of
27 religion.
28 (2) The school board may provide that a brief period,
29 not to exceed 2 minutes, for the purpose of silent prayer or
30 meditation be set aside at the start of each school day or
31 each school week in the public schools in the district.
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CS/HB 915, First Engrossed
1 (3) The superintendent of schools in each school
2 district shall provide for the display in a prominent location
3 within each school under his or her supervision of the motto
4 of the United States of America, "IN GOD WE TRUST," on an
5 appropriately framed background with minimum dimensions of 11
6 inches by 14 inches.
7 (4) The superintendent of schools in each school
8 district may provide for the display in a prominent location
9 within each school under his or her supervision of s. 2, Art.
10 I of the Florida Constitution providing for basic rights: "All
11 natural persons, female and male alike, are equal before the
12 law and have inalienable rights, among which are the right to
13 enjoy and defend life and liberty, to pursue happiness, to be
14 rewarded for industry, and to acquire, possess and protect
15 property; except that the ownership, inheritance, disposition
16 and possession of real property by aliens ineligible for
17 citizenship may be regulated or prohibited by law. No person
18 shall be deprived of any right because of race, religion,
19 national origin, or physical disability." The display of s. 2,
20 Art. I of the Florida Constitution shall be posted in a
21 separate place from the display of the national motto and
22 shall be on an appropriately framed background with minimum
23 dimensions of 11 inches by 14 inches.
24 233.062 Permitting study of the Bible and religion;
25 permitting brief meditation period; display of historical
26 documents.--
27 (1) The school board may install in the public schools
28 in the district a secular program of education including, but
29 not limited to, an objective study of the Bible and of
30 religion.
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CS/HB 915, First Engrossed
1 (2) The school board may provide that a brief period,
2 not to exceed 2 minutes, for the purpose of silent prayer or
3 meditation be set aside at the start of each school day or
4 each school week in the public schools in the district.
5 (3) The superintendent of schools in each school
6 district shall provide for the display in a prominent location
7 within each school under his or her supervision the following
8 items each on an appropriately framed background:
9 (a) The motto of the United States of America, "In God
10 We Trust."
11 (b) The Federalist Paper No. 34.
12 (c) The Preamble to the Constitution of the United
13 States.
14 (d) The Declaration of Independence.
15 (e) The Bill of Rights.
16 (f) Washington's Farewell Address.
17 (g) The Gettysburg Address.
18 (h) The Magna Carta.
19 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
20 law.
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