Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Texas Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the enrolled version. The official bill page.
S.B. No. 965 AN ACT relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as follows: Sec. 22.012. RELIGIOUS SPEECH OR PRAYER. The right of an employee of a school district or open-enrollment charter school to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty may not be infringed on by the district or school or another state governmental entity, unless the infringement is: (1) necessary to further a compelling state interest; and (2) narrowly tailored using the least restrictive means to achieve that compelling state interest. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 965 passed the Senate on April 1, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 965 passed the House on May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 86, Nays 48, two present not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Governor
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