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SB965 • 2025

Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.

Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.

Education Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Parker | Bettencourt | Campbell | Creighton | Hall | Hinojosa, Adam | Kolkhorst | Middleton | Paxton
Last action
2025-06-20
Official status
06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25
Effective date
2025-06-20

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.

Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.

What This Bill Does

  • Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-20 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2025-06-20 Texas Legislature Online

    Effective on 9/1/25

  3. 2025-05-27 Texas Legislature Online

    Sent to the Governor

  4. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the Senate

  5. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the House

  6. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  7. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  8. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3339

  9. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  10. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    House passage reported

  11. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported enrolled

  12. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  13. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Point of order withdrawn. Rule 4, Section 32(c)(1)

  14. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to 3rd reading

  15. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3261

  16. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  17. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on General State Calendar

  18. 2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in Calendars

  19. 2025-05-15 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report sent to Calendars

  20. 2025-05-14 Texas Legislature Online

    Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator

  21. 2025-05-14 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report distributed

  22. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  23. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  24. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

  25. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Left pending in committee

  26. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in formal meeting

  27. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

  28. 2025-04-09 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  29. 2025-04-09 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to State Affairs

  30. 2025-04-02 Texas Legislature Online

    Received from the Senate

  31. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Co-author authorized

  32. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Rules suspended-Regular order of business

  33. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  34. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  35. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Amendment(s) offered. FA1 Menéndez

  36. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Amendment fails of adoption

  37. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  38. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to engrossment

  39. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  40. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Rules suspended-Regular order of business

  41. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  42. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  43. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  44. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  45. 2025-04-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported engrossed

  46. 2025-03-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Co-author authorized

  47. 2025-03-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on intent calendar

  48. 2025-03-17 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendments

  49. 2025-03-17 Texas Legislature Online

    Recommended for local & uncontested calendar

  50. 2025-03-17 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report printed and distributed

  51. 2025-03-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  52. 2025-03-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote taken in committee

  53. 2025-03-03 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  54. 2025-03-03 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  55. 2025-03-03 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken in committee

  56. 2025-03-03 Texas Legislature Online

    Left pending in committee

  57. 2025-02-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  58. 2025-02-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to State Affairs

  59. 2025-01-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Received by the Secretary of the Senate

  60. 2025-01-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Filed

Official Summary Text

Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
89(R) SB 965 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

S.B. No. 965

AN ACT

relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in

religious speech or prayer while on duty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as follows:

Sec.

22.012.

RELIGIOUS SPEECH OR PRAYER. The right of an

employee of a school district or open-enrollment charter school to

engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty may not be

infringed on by the district or school or another state

governmental entity, unless the infringement is:

(1)

necessary to further a compelling state interest;

and

(2)

narrowly tailored using the least restrictive

means to achieve that compelling state interest.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________

______________________________

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 965 passed the Senate on

April 1, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 965 passed the House on

May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 86, Nays 48, two

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor