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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2121
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE BLACK.
4304H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 160, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to awareness of
religious liberty in educational settings.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 160, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 160.2501, to read as follows:
160.2501. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Missouri
2 Religious Liberty in Schools A war eness Act".
3 2. Each public school shall post a statement containing the following or
4 substantially similar information:
5 The Missouri Religious Liberty in Schools A war eness Act
6 requ ires that students and employees of public schools that ar e
7 operated at public expense be advised and ther efor e encouraged
8 rega rding constitutional rights and liberties in the educational
9 setting that are assur ed by the First Amendment to the United
10 States Constitution, fr ee fr om government coer cion:
11 For public school students, such rights and liberties include, but
12 are not limited to, that a student may , in a manner that does not
13 interrupt or displace the educational mission of the public school:
14 Express the student's beliefs about religi on to others;
15 Pray or engage in religi ous expr ession or rea d the Bible or other
16 reli gious texts or materials during fr ee time including, but not
17 limited to, in the classr oom;
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
18 When re levant to the subject matter , expr ess the student's beliefs
19 about relig ion in a class assignment; and
20 Form, organize, and participate or re frain fr om participating in,
21 prayer gr oups, r eligious clubs, and other relig ious gatherings if
22 other secular gr oups, clubs, and gatherings are permitted.
23 For public school employees, such rights and liberties include, but
24 are not limited to, that an employee may , in a manner that does
25 not interrupt or displace the educational mission of the public
26 school:
27 Respectfully discuss the employee's faith with other school
28 employees;
29 When r elevant to the subject matter , discuss the influence of
30 reli gion on history and cultur e;
31 Enjoy the accommodation of the employee's rel igious beliefs as
32 requ ired by law;
33 Sponsor student re ligious clubs if secular student clubs are
34 sponsored ; and
35 Enjoy fr eedom fr om r eligious discrimination as pr ovided by law .
36 3. (1) The statement r equir ed to be posted under this section shall be posted in a
37 pr ominent location in each of such public school's buildings in which the academic
38 instruction of students actually and r egularly occurs.
39 (2) Such statement shall be posted in a similar form and manner as other
40 information req uire d by law is posted.
41 4. The pr ovisions of this section shall be construed to be consistent and in
42 conjunction with section 160.2500.
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