HB 1009 — Religious and Patriotic Expression in the Public School System

(b) A student may wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display a religious message or symbol in the same manner Page 3 of 9 CODING:

hb1009-00hb1009-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HBCS/HB 1009 2025 andStatutes, tois theamended same extent that clothing, accessories, and jewelry that display a secular message or symbol are permitted to beread: worn.

(4)(a) A student may pray or engage in religious activities or expression before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that a student may engage in secular activities or expression.

School personnel, including classroom teachers and athletic coaches, may pray or engage in religious activities or expressions with a student if such prayer or religious activity or expression does not occur during instructional time.

A student may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and other religious gatherings before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that a student is permitted to organize secular activities and groups.

(b)1.

A school district may not prevent school personnel from participating in religious activities on school grounds that are initiated by students at reasonable times before or after the school day if such activities are voluntary and do not conflict with the responsibilities or assignments of such personnel.

2.

A school district shall comply with the federal requirements in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit an employer from discriminating against an employee on the basis of religion.

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hb1009-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HB 1009 2025 (c) A school district shall provide a religious group with access to the same school facilities for assembling as provided to secular groups without discrimination based on the religious content of the group's expression.

A group that meets for prayer or other religious speech may advertise or announce its meetings in the same manner and to the same extent that a secular group may advertise or announce its meetings.

(5)(a) A school district shall adopt a policy that establishes a limited public forum for student speakers at any school event at which a student is to speak publicly.

The limited public forum policy shall require the school district to:

1.

Provide the forum in a manner that does not discriminate against a student's voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject;

2.

Provide a method based on neutral criteria for the selection of student speakers at school events, activities, and graduation ceremonies;

3.

Ensure that a student speaker does not engage in obscene, vulgar, offensively lewd, or indecent speech;

and 4.

State in written or oral form that the student's speech does not reflect the endorsement, sponsorship, position, or expression of the school district.

(b) The school district shall deliver the disclaimer required in subparagraph (a)4.

at all graduation events and any Page 5 of 9 CODING:

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hb1009-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HB 1009 2025 other event at which a student speaks publicly.

(c) Student expression of a religious viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject may not be excluded from the limited public forum.

(6) The Department of Education shall develop a model policy regarding a limited public forum and voluntary expression of religious viewpoints by students and school personnel in public schools pursuant to this section.

The department shall publish the model policy on its website.

Each district school board shall adopt and implement the department's model policy.

Section 3.

Subsections (1) and (4) of section 1003.44, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

rules.— (1)(a)1.(4) Each district school board shall adopt rules to require, in all of the schools of the district and in each building used by the district school board, the display of the state motto, "In God We Trust," designated under s.

Each15.0301, districtin schoola boardclearly mayvisible adoptlocation rulesand topublic require,area in all of the schoolsschool ofwhich theis district,readily programsaccessible of a patriotic nature to encourageand greaterwidely respectused forby thestudents governmentand ofin thea Unitedclearly Statesvisible andlocation its national anthem and flag,public subjectarea alwaysof toeach otherbuilding existingused pertinentby laws of the Uniteddistrict Statesschool orboard ofconspicuous theplace. state.

2.Section 3.

The national anthem must be played at the beginning of each school day after the completion of the moment of silence pursuant to s.

1003.45.

When the national anthem is played, students and all civilians shall stand at attention, men removing the headdress, except when such headdress is worn for religious purposes.

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hb1009-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HB 1009 2025 3.

The pledge of allegiance to the flag, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," shall be rendered by students standing with the right hand over the heart.

The pledge of allegiance to the flag shall be recited at the beginning of the day in each public elementary, middle, and high school in the state.

Each student shall be informed by a written notice published in the student handbook or a similar publication pursuant to s.

1006.07(2) that the student has the right not to participate in reciting the pledge.

Upon written request by his or her parent, the student must be excused from reciting the pledge, including standing and placing the right hand over his or her heart.

When the pledge is given, unexcused students must show full respect to the flag by standing at attention, men removing the headdress, except when such headdress is worn for religious purposes, as provided by Pub.

L.

ch.

77-435, s.

7, approved June 22, 1942, 56 Stat.

377, as amended by Pub.

L.

ch.

77-806, 56 Stat.

1074, approved December 22, 1942.

4.

Each student shall be informed by a written notice published in the student handbook or a similar publication pursuant to s.

1006.07(2) that the student has the right not to participate in singing the national anthem, reciting the pledge, or the moment of silence in s.

1003.45.

Upon written request by Page 7 of 9 CODING:

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hb1009-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HB 1009 2025 his or her parent, the student must be excused from singing the national anthem, reciting the pledge, including standing and placing the right hand over his or her heart, or the moment of silence in s.

1003.45.

Each morning, before singing the national anthem, reciting the pledge, and the moment of silence, a moderator must announce that all excused students may leave the classroom and stand outside the classroom door.

Such students must immediately return to the classroom after such activities.

5.

Each school within a school district must comply with the requirements of this paragraph by October 1, 2025.

A school that is not in compliance with such requirements by such date, shall receive a warning from the department to comply within 30 days.

If the school fails to comply within the 30-day period, the district school superintendent shall be officially reprimanded by the department for the school's noncompliance.

The department shall refer the school district to the State Board of Education.

The state board has the sole authority to further review the school's noncompliance and take any actions deemed necessary until the school complies with the requirements of this paragraph.

(b) Each school district shall conduct a public awareness campaign about the display of the state motto, "In God We Trust," in district schools and buildings pursuant to subsection (4), the inclusion of a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day pursuant to s.

1003.45, and religious expression Page 8 of 9 CODING:

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hb1009-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S HB 1009 2025 in public schools as authorized by general law.

(4)(a) Each district school board shall adopt rules to require, in all of the schools of the district and in each building used by the district school board, the display of the state motto, "In God We Trust," designated under s.

15.0301, in a conspicuous place.

(b) The state motto, "In God We Trust," must be displayed on a 22 inch by 28 inch posterboard in a conspicuous location in each school library, cafeteria, gymnasium, and main office.

The department shall provide the posterboards required under this paragraph.

Section 4.

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