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2015 SESSION
HB 1437 Prayer at public events; authority to adopt an ordinance to allow.
Introduced by: Richard P. Bell | all patrons ... notes | add to my profiles | history
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:
Prayer at public events. Provides that a deliberative public body, by ordinance, resolution, or written policy statement, may adopt a policy to permit a public invocation before each meeting of the public body, for the benefit of the public body. The policy may allow for an invocation to be offered on a voluntary basis, at the beginning of the meeting, by (i) a chaplain elected by the public officials of the deliberative public body or (ii) an invocation speaker selected on an objective and rotating basis from among a wide pool of the religious leaders serving established religious congregations in the local community in which the deliberative public body meets. The bill also defines deliberative body and public invocation.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Prayer at public events. Provides, among other things, that a deliberative public body, by ordinance, resolution, or written policy statement, may adopt a policy to permit a public invocation before each meeting of the public body, for the benefit of the public body. The policy may allow for an invocation to be offered on a voluntary basis, at the beginning of the meeting, by (i) one of the public officials elected or appointed to the deliberative public body, so long as the opportunity for invocation duty is regularly and objectively rotated among all of that deliberative public body's public officials; (ii) a chaplain elected by the public officials of the deliberative public body; or (iii) an invocation speaker selected on an objective and rotating basis from among a wide pool of the religious leaders serving established religious congregations in the local community in which the deliberative public body meets. The bill defines deliberative body and public invocation.