Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits discrimination against students who express religious viewpoints, beginning July 1, 2013.

Highlights:

• Prohibits school districts from discriminating against a student who expresses a religious viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject (Sec. 2).

• Requires school districts to establish a limited public forum that does not discriminate against the voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint by a student at all school events at which a student will speak (Sec. 3).

• Requires the school district to state that the speech of students in the public forum does not reflect the endorsement, sponsorship, position or expression of the district (Sec. 3).

• Requires school districts to select student speakers for school events and graduation ceremonies based on neutral criteria (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes students to express religious beliefs in class assignments without discrimination and requires assignments to be judged by ordinary academic standards (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes students to organize religious groups to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other extracurricular groups, including access to school facilities and permission to advertise meetings (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text