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| 2 | 2 | | FIRST REGULAR SESSION |
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| 3 | 3 | | [TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED ] |
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| 4 | 4 | | SENATE BILL NO. 34 |
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| 5 | 5 | | 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 6 | 6 | | 2023 |
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| 7 | 7 | | 0388S.02T |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | To amend chapter 170, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to elective social studies |
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| 10 | 10 | | courses on the Bible. |
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| 11 | 11 | | |
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| 12 | 12 | | Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Section A. Chapter 170, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1 |
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| 14 | 14 | | one new section, to be known as section 170.341, to read as 2 |
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| 15 | 15 | | follows:3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | 170.341. 1. Any school district or public charter 1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | school may offer students elective social studies courses 2 |
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| 18 | 18 | | relating, but not limited to, the following: 3 |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) The Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament of the 4 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Bible; 5 |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) The New Testament of the Bible; or 6 |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) The Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament of the 7 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Bible. 8 |
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| 24 | 24 | | 2. The purpose of a course under this section is to: 9 |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) Teach students knowledge of bibl ical content, 10 |
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| 26 | 26 | | characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to 11 |
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| 27 | 27 | | understanding contemporary society and culture, including 12 |
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| 28 | 28 | | literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and public policy; 13 |
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| 29 | 29 | | and 14 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) Familiarize students with, as applicable: 15 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (a) The contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or New 16 |
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| 32 | 32 | | Testament; 17 SB 34 2 |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) The history of the Hebrew Scriptures or New 18 |
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| 34 | 34 | | Testament; 19 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (c) The literary style and structure of the Hebrew 20 |
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| 36 | 36 | | Scriptures or New Testament; and 21 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (d) The influence of the Hebre w Scriptures or New 22 |
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| 38 | 38 | | Testament on law, history, government, literature, art, 23 |
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| 39 | 39 | | music, customs, morals, values, and culture. 24 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 3. A student shall not be required to use a specific 25 |
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| 41 | 41 | | translation as the sole text of the Hebrew Scriptures or New 26 |
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| 42 | 42 | | Testament and may use as the basic textbook a different 27 |
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| 43 | 43 | | translation of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament from 28 |
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| 44 | 44 | | that chosen by the school district or public charter school. 29 |
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| 45 | 45 | | 4. A course offered under this section shall follow 30 |
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| 46 | 46 | | applicable law and all federal and state guidelines in 31 |
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| 47 | 47 | | maintaining religious neutrality and accommodating the 32 |
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| 48 | 48 | | diverse religious views, traditions, and perspectives of 33 |
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| 49 | 49 | | students in the school. A course offered under this section 34 |
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| 50 | 50 | | shall not endorse, favor, or promote, or disfavor or s how 35 |
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| 51 | 51 | | hostility toward, any particular religion or nonreligious 36 |
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| 52 | 52 | | faith or religious perspective. 37 |
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| 53 | 53 | | 5. School districts and public charter schools, in 38 |
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| 54 | 54 | | complying with this section, shall not violate any provision 39 |
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| 55 | 55 | | of the Constitution of the United States or federal law, the 40 |
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| 56 | 56 | | Constitution of Missouri or any state law, or any 41 |
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| 57 | 57 | | administrative regulations of the department of elementary 42 |
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| 58 | 58 | | and secondary education or the United States Department of 43 |
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| 59 | 59 | | Education. 44 |
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| 60 | 60 | | |
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