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HB 127 - American Heritage in Education Act; enact

Tolbert, Scott (25th)	Cash, J. Steven (108th)	Scarlett, Stephen G (174th)

Status Summary	HC:	Ed	SC:		FR:	01/15/99	LA:	01/25/99	H - Read 2nd Time

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary, secondary, and adult education, so as to authorize the reading or posting of certain writings, documents, and records without content based censorship thereof; and for other purposes.

Code Sections - 20-2-2080/ 20-2-2081/ 20-2-2082

HB 127                                             LC 26 0912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of 
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary, secondary, and 
  1- 3  adult education, so as to authorize the reading or posting 
  1- 4  of certain writings, documents, and records without content 
  1- 5  based censorship thereof; to provide for notice to local 
  1- 6  school superintendents; to provide for other related 
  1- 7  matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 
 
  1- 8       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1- 9                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-10  Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia 
  1-11  Annotated, relating to elementary, secondary, and adult 
  1-12  education, is amended by adding at the end thereof a new 
  1-13  Article 32 to read as follows: 
 
 
 
  1-14    20-2-2080. 
 
  1-15    This article shall be known and may be cited as the 
  1-16    'American Heritage in Education Act.' 
 
  1-17    20-2-2081. 
 
  1-18    (a) Local school boards may allow and encourage any 
  1-19    teacher or administrator in a public school district of 
  1-20    this state to read or post in a public school building or 
  1-21    classroom or at an event sponsored by a public school or 
  1-22    public school district excerpts, portions, or replicas of 
  1-23    the following affirmations or documents of American 
  1-24    heritage: 
 
  1-25      (1) The United States Constitution, including the 
  1-26      preamble; 
 
  1-27      (2) The Constitution of Georgia, including the preamble; 
 
  1-28      (3) The Declaration of Independence; 
 
  1-29      (4) The Mayflower Compact; 
 
 
 
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  2- 1      (5) The national motto, 'In God We Trust'; 
 
  2- 2      (6) The national anthem; 
 
  2- 3      (7) The Pledge of Allegiance; 
 
  2- 4      (8) The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations 
  2- 5      of any of the signers of the Declaration of 
  2- 6      Independence, signers of the Constitution of the United 
  2- 7      States, or Presidents of the United States; 
 
  2- 8      (9) Organic documents from the precolonial, colonial, 
  2- 9      revolutionary, federalist, and postfederalist eras; 
 
  2-10      (10) United States Supreme Court decisions; and 
 
  2-11      (11) Acts of the United States Congress, including the 
  2-12      published text of the United States Congressional 
  2-13      Record. 
 
  2-14    (b) There shall be no content based censorship of American 
  2-15    history or heritage in this state based on religious or 
  2-16    other references in these writings, documents, 
  2-17    affirmations, or records. 
 
  2-18    20-2-2082. 
 
  2-19    On July 1, 1999, a copy of this article shall be 
  2-20    distributed to all school districts in the state by the 
  2-21    State School Superintendent, whereupon local 
  2-22    superintendents shall then distribute it to all schools 
  2-23    within the local school district." 
 
  2-24                           SECTION 2. 
 
  2-25  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  2-26  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 -2-