| 1 | 1 | | 85R2599 KKA-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Anderson of McLennan, King of Parker, H.B. No. 545 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Stephenson, Johnson of Dallas, Anchia, |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the opportunity of certain patriotic societies to |
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| 9 | 9 | | present information regarding the society to public school students |
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| 10 | 10 | | during regular school hours. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 25.0822 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 25.0822. PATRIOTIC SOCIETY ACCESS TO STUDENTS. (a) In |
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| 15 | 15 | | this section, "patriotic society" means a youth membership |
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| 16 | 16 | | organization listed in Title 36 of the United States Code with an |
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| 17 | 17 | | educational purpose that promotes patriotism and civic |
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| 18 | 18 | | involvement. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) At the beginning of each school year, the principal of a |
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| 20 | 20 | | public school campus shall provide representatives of a patriotic |
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| 21 | 21 | | society with the opportunity to speak to students during regular |
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| 22 | 22 | | school hours about membership in the society and the ways in which |
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| 23 | 23 | | membership may promote a student's educational interest and level |
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| 24 | 24 | | of civic involvement, leading to the student's increased potential |
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| 25 | 25 | | for self-improvement and ability to contribute to improving the |
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| 26 | 26 | | student's school and community. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) A principal has complete discretion over the specific |
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| 28 | 28 | | date and time of the opportunity required to be provided under this |
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| 29 | 29 | | section, except that: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) the principal must limit the opportunity provided |
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| 31 | 31 | | to a patriotic society to a single school day; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) any presentation made to students as a result of |
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| 33 | 33 | | the opportunity may not exceed 10 minutes in length. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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| 35 | 35 | | school year. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 37 | 37 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 38 | 38 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 40 | 40 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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