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Committee rejects bill to mandate off-campus religious instruction during school day (SB278)
Summary
SB278 would have required school districts to adopt policies permitting off‑campus, voluntary religious instruction during the school day; the State Government Committee rejected the proposal after a tie roll‑call vote.
The State Government Committee held a public hearing on SB278, a Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Shellnut and presented in committee by Susan DeBose, that would have required public school districts to adopt a policy permitting students to attend off‑campus, voluntary religious instruction during the school day (often called "release time"). After testimony from proponents and opponents and a roll-call vote that resulted in a tie, the committee did not pass the bill.
Susan DeBose, presenting for Sen. Shellnut, summarized the bill and said it passed the Senate with bipartisan support. Proponents at the hearing described an existing model, LifeWise Academy, which one witness said is operating in nearly 600 schools nationwide…
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