HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1303        FILED ON: 1/16/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 391

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul K. Frost

_________________

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.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

1/16/2013

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

 

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

 

Alan Silvia

7th Bristol

 

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

 

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

 

James J. Lyons, Jr.

18th Essex

1/29/2013

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/29/2013

Kevin J. Kuros

8th Worcester

2/1/2013

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1303        FILED ON: 1/16/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 391

By Mr. Frost of Auburn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 391) of Paul K. Frost and others for legislation to protect the rights of students to express religious viewpoints.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2715 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

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 2013-2014 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.