Bill > HB1425

This bill allows school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in Texas to establish a daily period for prayer and religious text reading, with several important conditions. Schools can adopt this policy through a formal resolution and must require signed consent forms from students or employees before they can participate, which include an acknowledgment of voluntary participation and a waiver of potential legal claims. The policy prohibits using public address systems for prayers, ensures that the religious activity does not interfere with instructional time, and mandates that students or employees who have not submitted consent forms are not exposed to the prayers or readings. Participants can revoke their consent at any time, and the bill maintains that students and employees can still engage in individual, voluntary prayer during non-designated times. The attorney general is required to provide guidance to schools implementing this policy and can defend schools in potential legal challenges. Each school district and charter school must vote on whether to adopt such a policy within six months, and the bill will apply starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The legislation also slightly modifies existing language about students' rights to individual, voluntary prayer in schools by removing the word "encourage" from restrictions on requiring or coercing student prayer.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1425