Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Utah House passes law clarifying religion in public schools; sponsor says it draws on federal court rulings
Summary
After extended debate and questions about graduation prayers and school concerts, the Utah House passed House Bill 85 to restate federal case law in state statute and provide intent language to guide schools and courts.
House Bill 85, a measure intended to clarify what public-school employees and students may say or do about religion, passed the Utah House on Feb. 19, 1993, and was referred to the Senate.
The bill’s sponsor told the House the measure is intended to put existing federal court precedent into clearer state statutory language so teachers and administrators understand what is permitted. "You can't advocate religion as a teacher," the sponsor said, arguing the bill draws a distinction between "black" actions (clearly prohibited, such as a coach leading a locker-room prayer) and "white" actions (clearly permissible, such as students privately choosing to pray).
Supporters said the bill offers teachers greater clarity for classroom…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
