Text of MA H 376 (2010)
Relative to Protecting the Religious Freedom of Students.
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As introduced
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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1781 FILED ON: 1/13/2009
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 376
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
Viriato Manuel deMacedo
_______________
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 passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act Relative to Protecting the Religious Freedom of Students.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:
DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Viriato Manuel deMacedo
1st Plymouth
Jeffrey Davis Perry
5th Barnstable
James Dwyer
30th Middlesex
Bruce E. Tarr
First Essex and Middlesex
Dennis Rosa
4th Worcester
James R. Miceli
19th Middlesex
Angelo M. Scaccia
14th Suffolk
Donald F. Humason, Jr.
4th Hampden
George N. Peterson, Jr.
9th Worcester
Stephen L. DiNatale
3rd Worcester
F. Jay Barrows
1st Bristol
Paul J. Donato
35th Middlesex
Todd M. Smola
1st Hampden
Kathi-Anne Reinstein
16th Suffolk
William Lantigua
16th Essex
Thomas J. Calter
12th Plymouth
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
AN ACT RELATIVE TO 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:
SECTION 1. Section 1C of chapter 71, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby
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amended by inserting, at the end thereof, the following new section:-
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Section 1D. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, beginning with the
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school year commencing after July 1, 2009, school districts shall adopt and implement a local
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policy that allows for a limited public forum and voluntary student expression of religious views
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at school events, graduation ceremonies, and in class assignments, and non-curricular school
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groups and activities. The policy must require the district to ensure that a student does not
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engage in obscene or indecent speech and shall provide a disclaimer that students’ views are
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neither endorsed nor sponsored by the district. Districts shall treat such expression, on an
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otherwise permissible subject, in the same manner as the expression of a secular view. Districts
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are prohibited from discriminating against any student on the basis of a student’s expressed
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religious views.
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