HB 1197

REQUIRED WEBSITE POSTINGS Present law authorizes courses involving the academic study of the Bible using a curriculum developed by an LEA that have been approved b y the department to be adopted by another LEA without further department approval. Further, the department must make available on its website (i) a list identifying each LEA that has developed a Bible course curriculum that has been approved by the depar t ment and that is available for adoption by another LEA, (ii) all Bible course curricula developed by LEAs that have been approved by the department and that are available for adoption by another LEA, (iii) the academic standards for a Bible course that ha v e been approved by the state board of education, and (iv) instructions on how an LEA may submit its own Bible course curriculum for approval. This bill removes the above provisions and, instead, requires the local board of education or the public charter school governing body to approve such courses, requires such courses to comply with certain requirements, and requires the department to make available on its website (i) a list identifying each LEA or public charter school that offers a Bible course app r oved pursuant to this bill and (ii) the academic standards for a Bible course that have been approved by the state board of education. This bill requires each LEA and public charter school to make available on its website all Bible course curricula, incl uding a list of instructional materials developed by the LEA or public charter school that have been approved by the local board of education or public charter school governing body. The state board of education must include in its list of approved high s chool courses an elective Bible course developed to be approved under this bill. The department must notify each LEA and public charter school in writing, no later than July 1 of each year, of the LEA's or public charter school's ability to offer an elec t ive state-funded Bible course consisting of a nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study of the Bible in accordance with this bill, and the ability of an LEA or public charter school to develop its own Bible course curriculum. COURSE IMPLEMENTATION Prese nt law requires an LEA that elects to offer a course and utilize an associated textbook or instructional materials approved in accordance with academic standards authorized by the state board to implement the course in accordance with the constitutions of the United States and this state. This bill adds that an LEA or public charter school that so elects to offer a course as provided above must implement the course in accordance with the constitutions of the United States and this state. NO MANDATED OR PR OHIBITED COURSES Present law does not mandate an LEA to use the curriculum developed for approval by the state board for an academic study of the Bible, or prohibit an LEA from adopting its own curriculum for an academic study of the Bible, as long as an y academic study of the Bible so offered is approved as a special course according to the rules of the state board of education and in compliance with the constitutions of the United States and this state. This bill provides the same for a public charter school. ON APRIL 15, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 298, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that a course for an academic study of the Bible that was approved by the department of education before July 1, 2025, is not required to be approved by the local board of education or the public charter school governing body .