By: Parker	S.B. No. 17
	(In the Senate - Filed June 7, 2023; June 8, 2023, read
	first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
	June 15, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
	Nays 0; June 15, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in
	religious speech or prayer while on duty.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is
	amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as follows:
	Sec. 22.012.  RELIGIOUS SPEECH OR PRAYER. The right of an
	employee of a school district or open-enrollment charter school to
	engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty may not be
	infringed on by the district or school or another state
	governmental entity, unless the infringement is:
	(1)  necessary to further a compelling state interest;
	and
	(2)  narrowly tailored using the least restrictive
	means to achieve that compelling state interest.
	SECTION 2.  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 October 1, 2023.
	* * * * *

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()
Senate Committee Report: ()