Bill > HB829

This bill mandates that local school district boards of education must allow students to attend moral instruction, provided the instruction meets specific requirements, and expands the time allowed for such instruction to at least one hour per week, which may include travel time. The bill outlines a detailed process for organizations or individuals offering moral instruction, requiring them to submit a comprehensive plan including contact information, an agreement to comply with the law, details of the instruction location and transportation, and proof of insurance, and mandates criminal background checks for those providing instruction or transportation. Furthermore, it establishes that students participating in moral instruction will be credited for their attendance as if they were in regular school and will not be penalized for missed schoolwork, while students not participating will remain in school for supervised enrichment activities. The bill also empowers the Attorney General to file lawsuits to compel school boards to comply with these provisions and allows individuals to sue school boards for violations, with the possibility of recovering damages and attorney fees for intentional and willful violations, while waiving certain legal protections like sovereign immunity and prohibiting retaliation against those who participate in such lawsuits.