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SJR1104 • 2026

Religious Expression in Public Schools

Religious Expression in Public Schools

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Massullo
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
Senate - Died in Rules
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Religious Expression Protection for Public Schools

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to protect the religious expression of students and staff in public schools from discrimination.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes adding Section 33 to Article X of the State Constitution, which would prevent school districts from discriminating against students or staff based on their religious beliefs or expressions.
  • Allows students to express their religious views in coursework, artwork, and other assignments without facing discrimination. Teachers must grade these assignments based on academic standards, not religious content.
  • Permits students to wear clothing with religious messages or symbols as long as it's allowed for secular messages too.
  • Enables students to pray or engage in religious activities before, during, and after school hours, similar to how they can participate in non-religious activities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students who wish to express their religious beliefs at school.
  • Teachers and staff members involved in student activities.
  • School districts that must ensure equal treatment of religious expression compared to secular viewpoints.

Terms To Know

Constitutional Amendment
A change or addition to the State Constitution, which is a set of rules for how government works and what rights people have.
Religious Expression
The act of showing or sharing one's religious beliefs through words, actions, clothing, or other means.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is unclear how schools will enforce these protections without favoring or disfavoring any particular religion.
  • This proposal needs approval from voters in a future election to become part of the State Constitution.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 Senate

    • Died in Rules

  2. 2026-02-11 Senate

    • Now in Rules

  3. 2026-02-10 Senate

    • Favorable by Judiciary; YEAS 8 NAYS 3

  4. 2026-02-05 Senate

    • On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 02/10/26, 12:00 pm, 110 Senate Building

  5. 2026-02-03 Senate

    • Favorable by Education Pre-K - 12; YEAS 5 NAYS 2 • Now in Judiciary

  6. 2026-01-29 Senate

    • On Committee agenda-- Education Pre-K - 12, 02/03/26, 3:30 pm, 412 Knott Building

  7. 2026-01-13 Senate

    • Introduced

  8. 2026-01-12 Senate

    • Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Judiciary; Rules

  9. 2026-01-05 Senate

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Religious Expression in Public Schools; Proposing the creation of a section of the State Constitution to provide protection from discrimination for student and school personnel religious expression in public schools, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Florida Senate
-
2026

SJR 1104

By
Senator Massullo

11-01467-26 20261104__
1 Senate Joint Resolution
2 A joint resolution proposing the creation of Section
3 33 of Article X of the State Constitution to provide
4 protection from discrimination for student and school
5 personnel religious expression in public schools.
6
7 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9 That the following creation of Section 33 of Article X of the
10 State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to the
11 electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
12 general election or at an earlier special election specifically
13 authorized by law for that purpose:
14 ARTICLE X
15 MISCELLANEOUS
16
SECTION 33.

Religious expression in public schools.—

17
(a)

A school district may not discriminate against a

18
student, a parent, or school personnel on the basis of a

19
religious viewpoint or religious expression. A school district

20
shall treat a student’s voluntary expression of a religious

21
viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner

22
that the school district treats a student’s voluntary expression

23
of a secular viewpoint.

24
(b)

A public school must allow:

25
(1)

A student to express his or her religious beliefs in

26
coursework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free

27
from discrimination. A student’s homework and classroom

28
assignments shall be evaluated, regardless of any religious

29
content, based on expected academic standards relating to the

30
course curriculum and requirements. A student may not be

31
penalized or rewarded based on the religious content of his or

32
her work if the coursework, artwork, or other written or oral

33
assignment requires a student’s viewpoint to be expressed.

34
(2)

A student to wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry

35
that display a religious message or symbol in the same manner

36
and to the same extent that secular types of clothing,

37
accessories, and jewelry that display messages or symbols are

38
allowed to be worn.

39
(3)

A student to pray or engage in religious activities or

40
expression before, during, and after the school day in the same

41
manner and to the same extent that a student may engage in

42
secular activities or expression. A student may organize prayer

43
groups, religious clubs, and other religious gatherings in the

44
same manner and to the same extent that a student is permitted

45
to organize secular activities and groups.

46
(4)

School personnel to participate in religious activities

47
on school grounds which are initiated by students at reasonable

48
times before or after the school day if such activities are

49
voluntary and do not conflict with the responsibilities or

50
assignments of such personnel.

51
(c)

Without supporting or discouraging student prayer, each

52
public school must require teachers in first-period classrooms

53
in all grades to set aside at least one minute, but not more

54
than two minutes, daily for a moment of silence, during which a

55
student may not interfere with other students’ participation.

56
(d)

Each high school participating in a championship

57
contest or series of contests must have the opportunity to make

58
brief opening remarks, if requested by the school, using the

59
public address system at the event. Remarks may include student

60
led or school personnel-led prayer, may not be derogatory, rude,

61
or threatening, and may not be longer than two minutes per

62
school.

63 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
64 placed on the ballot:
65 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
66 ARTICLE X, SECTION 33
67 PROTECTING RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
68 Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to provide
69 protections from discrimination for student and school personnel
70 religious expression in public schools, including the expression
71 of religious beliefs in a student’s school work or attire,
72 prayer, activities and religious expressions, moments of
73 silence, and opening remarks at high school championship contest
74 or series of contests.