Texas legislation · 89th Legislature Regular Session
Texas SB965: Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.
Status: Signed into law, June 20, 2025
What the bill says
An act relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.
From the enrolled text, May 25, 2025:
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: [ADDED: Sec.][ADDED: ][ADDED: 22.012.][ADDED: ][ADDED: ][ADDED: RELIGIOUS SPEECH OR PRAYER. The right of an ] [ADDED: employee of a school district or open-enrollment charter school to ] [ADDED: engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty may not be ] [ADDED: infringed on by the district or school or another state ] [ADDED: governmental entity, unless the infringement is:] [ ] [ADDED: and] [ADDED: (2)][ADDED: ][ADDED: ][ADDED: narrowly tailored using the least restrictive ] [ADDED: 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 …
Sponsors
- Tan Parker (R) · primary sponsor
- Paul Bettencourt (R, SD-007)
- Donna Campbell (R, SD-025)
- Charles Creighton (R, SD-004)
- Bob Hall (R, SD-002)
- Lois Kolkhorst (R, SD-018)
- Mayes Middleton (R)
- Angela Paxton (R, SD-008)
- Peter Flores (R, SD-024)
- Phil King (R, SD-010)
- Jeff Leach (R, HD-067)
- Daniel Alders (R, HD-006)
Latest actions
- : Effective on 9/1/25
- : Signed by the Governor
- : Sent to the Governor
- : Signed in the House
- : Signed in the Senate
- : Reported enrolled
- : House passage reported
- : Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- : Record vote (RV#3339)
- : Passed
Votes
- State Affairs Committee Vote (Out of committee): 10 yea, 5 nay, passed
- State Affairs Committee Vote (Out of committee): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Record vote RV#4043 (May 23, 2025): 128 yea, 7 nay, passed
- Record vote RV#3339 (May 23, 2025): 86 yea, 48 nay, passed
- Record vote RV#3861 (May 22, 2025): 140 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Record vote RV#3261 (May 22, 2025): 84 yea, 52 nay, passed
Subjects: Education--Primary & Secondary--General, Religion
Common questions
- What is SB965?
- SB965 is a bill in the Texas Legislature (89th Legislature Regular Session): Relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.
- What does SB965 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to the right of a public school employee to engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.
- What is the status of SB965?
- Signed into law as of June 20, 2025. Latest action: Effective on 9/1/25 (June 20, 2025).
- Who sponsored SB965?
- Tan Parker (R), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB965?
- On the Texas Legislature website: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB00965
Source: official Texas record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.