88R1083 JTZ-D
By: West S.B. No. 1857
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the wearing of Native American tribal regalia or
objects of cultural significance at certain public school events.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 25.902 to read as follows:
Sec. 25.902. NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL REGALIA AT CERTAIN
SCHOOL EVENTS. (a) A school district may not prohibit a student who
is a member of a Native American tribe from wearing traditional
tribal regalia or objects that have cultural significance to that
tribe, including feathers, beadwork, or tribal symbols, at a
graduation ceremony or other official school event.
(b) In this section, "member of a Native American tribe"
means an individual who is enrolled or eligible to be enrolled as a
member of a federally or state recognized American Indian or Alaska
Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, rancheria, village, or
community.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
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, 2023.