1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) | | | 3|HOUSE BILL 1905 By: Fugate | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to schools; creating the Preventing | | Religious Indoctrination from Corrupting Education | 8| (PRICE) Act; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-101, | | which relates to sectarian or religious doctrine in | 9| schools; prohibiting certain private schools from | | using state funds for religious instruction or | 10| activities; barring certain students from mandatory | | participation in religious activities; prohibiting | 11| certain private schools from rejecting applicants for | | religious reasons; providing for noncodification; and | 12| providing an effective date. | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 16| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be | | | 17|codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows: | | | 18| This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Preventing | | | 19|Religious Indoctrination from Corrupting Education (PRICE) Act". | | | 20| SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-101, is | | | 21|amended to read as follows: | | | 22| Section 11-101. A. No sectarian or religious doctrine shall be | | | 23|taught or inculcated in any of the public schools of this state, but | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 6655 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the reading | | | 2|of the Holy Scriptures. | | | 3| B. Private schools which receive state funds shall not use the | | | 4|state funds to provide religious instruction or religious | | | 5|activities. Students who receive state funds to attend private | | | 6|schools shall not be required to participate in religious activities | | | 7|including, but not limited to, prayer, chapel, and Bible study. | | | 8| C. A student who applies to attend a private school which | | | 9|receives state funds shall not be rejected for religious reasons | | | 10|including, but not limited to, the student does not attend church, | | | 11|the student fails to participate in religious activities, or the | | | 12|student attends a church that is a different denomination than the | | | 13|private school. | | | 14| SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. | | | 15| | | | 16| 59-1-6655 EK 01/18/23 | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 6655 Page 2