| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 89R108 JTZ-D | |
| 2 | 2 | By: Leach H.B. No. 717 | |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 6 | ||
| 7 | 7 | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | |
| 8 | 8 | AN ACT | |
| 9 | 9 | relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in | |
| 10 | 10 | religious speech or prayer while on duty. | |
| 11 | 11 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
| 12 | 12 | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is | |
| 13 | 13 | amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as follows: | |
| 14 | 14 | Sec. 22.012. RELIGIOUS SPEECH OR PRAYER. The right of an | |
| 15 | 15 | employee of a school district or open-enrollment charter school to | |
| 16 | 16 | engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty may not be | |
| 17 | 17 | infringed on by the district or school or another state | |
| 18 | 18 | governmental entity, unless the infringement is: | |
| 19 | 19 | (1) necessary to further a compelling state interest; | |
| 20 | 20 | and | |
| 21 | 21 | (2) narrowly tailored using the least restrictive | |
| 22 | 22 | means to achieve that compelling state interest. | |
| 23 | 23 | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | |
| 24 | 24 | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | |
| 25 | 25 | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | |
| 26 | 26 | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | |
| 27 | 27 | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |