| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to education; authorizing individual |
| 3 | district school boards by resolution to allow invocation |
| 4 | or benediction at specified secondary school-related |
| 5 | events; providing legislative intent; providing |
| 6 | severability; providing an effective date. |
| 7 |
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| 8 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Section 1. Any district school board is authorized to |
| 11 | adopt a resolution allowing the use of an inspirational message, |
| 12 | including an invocation or a benediction, at a secondary school |
| 13 | commencement exercise or a secondary school-related |
| 14 | noncompulsory student assembly. The resolution must provide: |
| 15 | (1) That the use of an invocation or a benediction shall |
| 16 | be at the discretion of the students. |
| 17 | (2) That an invocation or a benediction, if used, shall be |
| 18 | given by a student volunteer. |
| 19 | (3) That an invocation or a benediction shall be |
| 20 | nonsectarian and nonproselytizing in nature. |
| 21 | (4) That school personnel shall not participate in or |
| 22 | otherwise influence the exercise of the discretion of the |
| 23 | students in the determination of whether to use an invocation or |
| 24 | a benediction. |
| 25 | Section 2. The purpose of this act to provide for the |
| 26 | solemnization and memorialization of secondary school events and |
| 27 | ceremonies, and this act is not intended to advance or endorse |
| 28 | any religion or religious belief. |
| 29 | Section 3. If any provision of this act or the application |
| 30 | thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the |
| 31 | invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of |
| 32 | the act that can be given effect without the invalid provision |
| 33 | or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are |
| 34 | declared severable. |
| 35 | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |