SUMMARY OF SENATE BILLS 252 and 254 as introduced 2-8-95:

The bills would amend the School Code to prohibit the censorship of and allow school personnel to disclose to students certain information pertaining to American history and law. The bills are tie-barred to each other.

Senate Bill 252 would permit the board of a school district or local act school district to allow and encourage a teacher or school administrator employed in the school district to read aloud or to post in a school building or classroom or at a school event all or part of any of the following documents: the preamble to the State Constitution of 1963; the Declaration of Independence; the United States Constitution; the Mayflower Compact; the United States national motto; the United States national anthem; the pledge of allegiance; any writing, speech, document, or proclamation of any of the founding fathers of the United States or of any president of the United States; any “organic document” from the precolonial, colonial, revolutionary, Federalist, or post-Federalist era of United States history; any published opinion of the United States Supreme Court or a published concurring or dissenting opinion of a justice of the Supreme Court; any act of the United States Congress; and, the published text of the Congressional Record.

Senate Bill 254 would require the board of a school district or local act school district to ensure that there was no censorship of the content of any document, described in Senate Bill 252, in the United States history or heritage curriculum or the instruction in the school district based on religious or other references in the document.

Not more than 60 days after the bill’s effective date, the Superintendent of Public Instruction would have to provide school boards copies of provisions proposed in Senate Bills 252 and 254 for distribution to each teacher and school administrator employed by the school districts. Upon receiving copies, a school board would have to distribute a copy of the bills’ provisions to each of its teachers and administrators.

Proposed MCL 380.1166a (S.B. 252) Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim Proposed MCL 380.1166b (S.B. 254)

FISCAL IMPACT

Senate Bill 252 would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Senate Bill 254 would have a minimal impact on the budgets of the Department of Education and local school districts. The bill would require the State Superintendent to provide each school board in the State with copies of the provisions proposed in Senate Bills 252 and 254. The costs of copying and distributing this information would be paid from the Department of Education annual budget. The minimal cost of copying and distributing the information as prescribed in Senate Bill 254 to each teacher and administrator in each school district in the State would be incurred by each school district and paid from its existing revenues, primarily its foundation allowances.

Fiscal Analyst: J. Carrasco

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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official

statement of legislative intent.