Key Votes
HB 638 - Authorizes Prayer in Schools - Key Vote
Mississippi Key Votes
Stages
Family
Issues
Stage Details
Legislation - Referred to Committee (Senate) - March 20, 2012
Legislation - Bill Passed (House) (93-24) - March 14, 2012 (Key vote)
Title: Authorizes Prayer in Schools
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes students to voluntarily express a religious viewpoint in school, effective July 1, 2012.
Highlights:
- Authorizes students to express their religious viewpoints in homework or class work (Sec. 4).
- Requires school boards to adopt a policy that establishes a limited public forum for student speakers at all school events in which the students may express their religious viewpoints (Sec. 3).
- Requires the school district to publish a disclaimer stating that the viewpoint of the student does not reflect the viewpoint of the school district at all events where a student speaks publicly (Sec. 3).
- Requires that religious student groups be given the same rights and privileges as nonreligious student groups (Sec. 5).
- Authorizes teachers to permit the voluntary participation by students or others in prayer (Sec. 10).
Legislation - Introduced (House) - Feb. 17, 2012
Title: Authorizes Prayer in Schools
Sponsors
Co-sponsors
- Nick Bain (MS - D)
- Richard B. Bennett (MS - R)
- Randy P. Boyd (MS - R)
- Chris Brown (MS - R)
- Charles Busby (MS - R)
- Lester E. 'Bubba' Carpenter (MS - R)
- Gary Alan Chism (MS - R)
- Becky Currie (MS - R)
- William C. 'Bill' Denny Jr. (MS - R)
- Deborah Butler Dixon (MS - D)
- Casey Eure (MS - R)
- J. Andrew 'Andy' Gipson (MS - R)
- Hank Lott (MS - R)
- Rita R. Martinson (MS - R)
- Doug McLeod (MS - R)
- Tom Miles (MS - D)
- Alex Monsour (MS - R)
- John L. Moore (MS - R)
- Bill Pigott (MS - R)
- Henry B. 'Hank' Zuber III (MS - R)
