Florida Senate - 2012                               CS for SB 98
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Judiciary; and Senators Siplin and Evers
       
       
       
       
       590-01845-12                                            201298c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; authorizing district
    3         school boards to adopt resolutions that allow
    4         inspirational messages, including, but not limited to,
    5         prayers of invocation or benediction, at secondary
    6         school events; providing requirements to be included
    7         in the resolution; providing legislative intent;
    8         providing for severability; providing an effective
    9         date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Any district school board may adopt a resolution
   14  allowing the use of an inspirational message, including, but not
   15  limited to, prayers of invocation or benediction, at secondary
   16  school commencement exercises or any other noncompulsory student
   17  assembly. The resolution must provide that:
   18         (1) The use of an inspirational message is at the
   19  discretion of the student government.
   20         (2) All inspirational messages will be given by student
   21  volunteers, and the content of any inspirational message will be
   22  at the discretion of the student volunteer.
   23         (3) School personnel may not:
   24         (a) Participate in, or otherwise influence any student in,
   25  determining whether to use a prayer of invocation or benediction
   26  as an inspirational message;
   27         (b) Participate in selecting which student volunteer will
   28  give an inspirational message; or
   29         (c) Influence the content of an inspirational message.
   30         Section 2. The purpose of this act is to provide for the
   31  solemnization and memorialization of secondary school events and
   32  ceremonies, and this act is not intended to advance or endorse
   33  any religion or religious belief.
   34         Section 3. If any provision of this act or its application
   35  to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity
   36  does not affect other provisions or applications of the act
   37  which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
   38  application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
   39  severable.
   40         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.