Bill H.2715

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3498 FILED ON: 1/21/2011

HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2715

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Paul K. Frost

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act protecting the religious freedom of students.

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PETITION OF:

Name:	District/Address:	Date Added:
Viriato Manuel deMacedo	1st Plymouth	2/1/2011
James J. Lyons, Jr.	18th Essex	2/1/2011
Sheila C. Harrington	1st Middlesex	2/1/2011
Elizabeth A. Poirier	14th Bristol	2/1/2011
Bruce E. Tarr		2/1/2011
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.	20th Middlesex	2/1/2011
James J. Dwyer	30th Middlesex	2/3/2011
Shaunna O'Connell	3rd Bristol	2/3/2011
Carlo Basile	1st Suffolk	2/3/2011
James R. Miceli	19th Middlesex	2/3/2011
Angelo M. Scaccia	14th Suffolk	2/3/2011
George N. Peterson, Jr.	9th Worcester	2/3/2011
John J. Binienda	17th Worcester	2/3/2011
Nick Collins	4th Suffolk	2/4/2011
Ryan C. Fattman	18th Worcester	2/4/2011
Donald F. Humason, Jr.	4th Hampden	2/4/2011
Kevin J. Kuros	8th Worcester	2/4/2011
F. Jay Barrows	1st Bristol	2/4/2011
Dennis A. Rosa	4th Worcester	2/4/2011
Todd M. Smola	1st Hampden	2/4/2011
Joyce A. Spiliotis	12th Essex	2/4/2011
Marc T. Lombardo	22nd Middlesex	2/4/2011
Stephen L. DiNatale	3rd Worcester	2/4/2011
Paul Adams	17th Essex	2/4/2011

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3498 FILED ON: 1/21/2011

HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2715

By Mr. Frost of Auburn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2715) of Viriato Manuel deMacedo and others for legislation to protect the rights of students to express religious viewpoints. Education.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act protecting the religious freedom of students.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Chapter 71 is hereby amended by inserting after Section 1B the following section:-

Section 1C. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, school districts beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, shall adopt and implement a local policy that allows for a limited public forum and voluntary student expression of religious viewpoints at school events and graduation ceremonies, in class assignments, and in non-curricular school groups and activities. Districts shall treat such expression on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner as the expression of a secular or other viewpoint and prohibits the district from discriminating against a student based on his or her expressed religious viewpoint. The policy must require the district to ensure that a student speaker does not engage in obscene or indecent speech and to provide a disclaimer that a student's speech is not endorsed or sponsored by the district.