AN ACT

relating to public school elective courses providing academic study

of the Bible.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 28.011 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.011. ELECTIVE COURSES ON THE BIBLE'S HEBREW

SCRIPTURES (OLD TESTAMENT) AND NEW TESTAMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON

THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. (a) A school

district may offer to students in grade nine or above:

(1) an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old

Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New

Testament and its impact; or

(2) an elective course that combines the courses

described by Subdivision (1).

(b) The purpose of a course under this section is to:

(1) teach students knowledge of biblical content,

characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to

understanding contemporary society and culture, including

literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and public policy; and

(2) familiarize students with, as applicable:

(A) the contents of the Hebrew Scriptures or New

Testament;

(B) the history of the Hebrew Scriptures or New

Testament;

(C) the literary style and structure of the

Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament; and

(D) the influence of the Hebrew Scriptures or New

Testament on law, history, government, literature, art, music,

customs, morals, values, and culture.

(c) A student may not be required to use a specific

translation as the sole text of the Hebrew Scriptures or New

Testament and may use as the basic textbook a different translation

of the Hebrew Scriptures or New Testament from that chosen by the

board of trustees of the student's school district or the student's

teacher.

(d) A course offered under this section shall follow

applicable law and all federal and state guidelines in maintaining

religious neutrality and accommodating the diverse religious

views, traditions, and perspectives of students in their school

district. A course under this section shall not endorse, favor, or

promote, or disfavor or show hostility toward, any particular

religion or nonreligious faith or religious perspective. Nothing in

this statute is intended to violate any provision of the United

States Constitution or federal law, the Texas Constitution or any

state law, or any rules or guidelines provided by the United States

Department of Education or the Texas Education Agency.

(e) Before adopting rules identifying the essential

knowledge and skills of a course offered under this section, the

State Board of Education shall submit the proposed essential

knowledge and skills to the attorney general. The attorney general

shall review the proposed essential knowledge and skills to ensure

that the course complies with the First Amendment to the United

States Constitution, and the board may not adopt rules identifying

the essential knowledge and skills of a course offered under this

section without the attorney general's approval under this

subsection.

(f) A teacher of a course offered under this section must

hold a minimum of a High School Composite Certification in language

arts, social studies, or history with, where practical, a minor in

religion or biblical studies. A teacher selected to teach a course

under this section shall successfully complete staff development

training outlined in Section 21.459. A course under this section

may only be taught by a teacher who has successfully completed

training under Section 21.459.

(g) For the purpose of a student earning credit for high

school graduation, a school district shall grant one-half academic

elective credit for satisfactory completion of a course on the

Hebrew Scriptures, one-half academic elective credit for

satisfactory completion of a course on the New Testament, and

one-half academic elective credit for satisfactory completion of a

combined course on both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New

Testament. This subsection applies only to a course that is taught

in strict compliance with this section.

(h) If, for a particular semester, fewer than 15 students at

a school district campus register to enroll in a course required by

this section, the district is not required to offer the course at

that campus for that semester.

(i) This section does not prohibit the board of trustees of

a school district from offering an elective course based on the

books of a religion other than Christianity. In determining whether

to offer such a course, the board may consider various factors,

including student and parent demand for such a course and the impact

such books have had on history and culture.

(j) This section does not prohibit a school district from

offering a course, other than the course authorized by this

section, in the academic study of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New

Testament, or both for local credit or for state elective credit

towards high school graduation.

SECTION 2. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 21.459 to read as follows:

Sec. 21.459. BIBLE COURSE TRAINING. (a) The commissioner

shall develop and make available training materials and other

teacher training resources for a school district to use in

assisting teachers of elective Bible courses in developing:

(1) expertise in the appropriate Bible course

curriculum;

(2) understanding of applicable supreme court rulings

and current constitutional law regarding how Bible courses are to

be taught in public schools objectively as a part of a secular

program of education;

(3) understanding of how to present the Bible in an

objective, academic manner that neither promotes nor disparages

religion, nor is taught from a particular sectarian point of view;

(4) proficiency in instructional approaches that

present course material in a manner that respects all faiths and

religious traditions, while favoring none; and

(5) expertise in how to avoid devotional content or

proselytizing in the classroom.

(b) The commissioner shall develop materials and resources

under this section in consultation with appropriate faculty members

at institutions of higher education.

(c) The commissioner shall make the training materials and

other teacher training resources required under Subsection (a)

available to Bible course teachers through access to in-service

training.

(d) The commissioner shall use funds appropriated for the

purpose to administer this section.

SECTION 3. Section 28.002(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through

grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:

(1) a foundation curriculum that includes:

(A) English language arts;

(B) mathematics;

(C) science; and

(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United

States, and world history, government, and geography; and

(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:

(A) to the extent possible, languages other than

English;

(B) health, with emphasis on the importance of

proper nutrition and exercise;

(C) physical education;

(D) fine arts;

(E) economics, with emphasis on the free

enterprise system and its benefits;

(F) career and technology education; [ and ]

(G) technology applications ; and

(H) religious literature, including the Hebrew

Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on

history and literature .

SECTION 4. The provisions of this Act pertaining to a school

district do not take effect until the 2009-2010 school year.

SECTION 5. 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, 2007.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1287 was passed by the House on May 9,

2007, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 1, 3 present, not

voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1287 was passed by the Senate on May

23, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: _____________________

Date

_____________________