82R6478 VOO-D
By: Landtroop H.B. No. 3119
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certification required to teach public school elective
courses on the Old and New Testaments and to students offered those
courses.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) A school district may offer to students in grade nine or
above and to students at any district middle or junior high school
that offers elective courses:
(1) an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old
Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New
Testament and its impact; or
(2) an elective course that combines the courses
described by Subdivision (1).
(f) A teacher of a course offered under this section must
hold a certificate that qualifies the teacher to teach at the grade
level at which the course is offered regardless of the content or
subject area the certificate qualifies the teacher to teach
[minimum of a High School Composite Certification in language arts,
social studies, or history with, where practical, a minor in
religion or biblical studies]. A teacher selected to teach a course
under this section shall successfully complete staff development
training outlined in Section 21.459. A course under this section
may [only] be taught only by a teacher who has successfully
completed training under Section 21.459.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2011-2012
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.