HB 0243 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to education; authorizing individual
3	district school boards by resolution to allow invocation
4	or benediction at specified secondary school-related
5	events; providing legislative intent; providing
6	severability; providing an effective date.
7
8	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	Section 1.Any district school board is authorized to
11	adopt a resolution allowing the use of an inspirational message,
12	including an invocation or a benediction, at a secondary school
13	commencement exercise or a secondary school-related
14	noncompulsory student assembly. The resolution must provide:
15	(1) That the use of an invocation or a benediction shall
16	be at the discretion of the students.
17	(2) That an invocation or a benediction, if used, shall be
18	given by a student volunteer.
19	(3) That an invocation or a benediction shall be
20	nonsectarian and nonproselytizing in nature.
21	(4) That school personnel shall not participate in, or
22	otherwise influence the exercise of the discretion of the
23	students in, the determination of whether to use an invocation
24	or a benediction.
25	Section 2.It is the purpose of this act to provide for
26	the solemnization and memorialization of secondary school events
27	and ceremonies, and this act is not intended to advance or
28	endorse any religion or religious belief.
29	Section 3.If any provision of this act or the application
30	thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
31	invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of
32	the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision
33	or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
34	declared severable.
35	Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.
36