Florida Senate - 2012                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 98
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 822392                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  01/13/2012           .                                
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       The Committee on Judiciary (Simmons) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Any district school board may adopt a resolution
    6  allowing the use of an inspirational message, including, but not
    7  limited to, prayers of invocation or benediction, at secondary
    8  school commencement exercises or any other noncompulsory student
    9  assembly. The resolution must provide that:
   10         (1) The use of an inspirational message is at the
   11  discretion of the student government.
   12         (2) All inspirational messages will be given by student
   13  volunteers, and the content of any inspirational message will be
   14  at the discretion of the student volunteer.
   15         (3) School personnel may not:
   16         (a) Participate in, or otherwise influence any student in,
   17  determining whether to use a prayer of invocation or benediction
   18  as an inspirational message;
   19         (b) Participate in selecting which student volunteer will
   20  give an inspirational message; or
   21         (c) Influence the content of an inspirational message.
   22         Section 2. The purpose of this act is to provide for the
   23  solemnization and memorialization of secondary school events and
   24  ceremonies, and this act is not intended to advance or endorse
   25  any religion or religious belief.
   26         Section 3. If any provision of this act or its application
   27  to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity
   28  does not affect other provisions or applications of the act
   29  which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
   30  application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
   31  severable.
   32         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.
   33  
   34  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   35         And the title is amended as follows:
   36         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   37  and insert:
   38                        A bill to be entitled                      
   39         An act relating to education; authorizing district
   40         school boards to adopt resolutions that allow
   41         inspirational messages, including, but not limited to,
   42         prayers of invocation or benediction, at secondary
   43         school events; providing requirements to be included
   44         in the resolution; providing legislative intent;
   45         providing for severability; providing an effective
   46         date.