The bill designates the last full week in September as "Celebrate Freedom Week" in Montana's public schools. It aims to educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom during the founding of the United States and the values upon which the nation was built. The bill amends Section 20-1-306 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to include this new commemorative week, requiring school districts to conduct appropriate exercises during this time. Additionally, it mandates that the trustees of each district adopt a policy to ensure the effective conduct of these commemorative exercises.

The bill also removes previous requirements for a minimum of three hours of instruction on the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Montana Constitution during Celebrate Freedom Week. It eliminates the requirement for students in grades 3 through 12 to recite a specific passage from the Declaration of Independence, while still allowing for exceptions based on parental requests, conscientious objections, or the status of children of certain foreign representatives. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
HB0591_2(1): 20-1-306
HB0591_2(2): 20-1-306
HB0591_2(3): 20-1-306
HB0591_2(4): 20-1-306
HB0591_2(5): 20-1-306
HB0591_2: 20-1-306
HB0591_X(1): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(10): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(11): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(12): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(13): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(2): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(3): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(4): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(5): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(6): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(7): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(8): 20-1-306
HB0591_X(9): 20-1-306
HB0591_X: 20-1-306