FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 429

92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES WILLOUGHBY, WHORTON (Co-sponsors), SCHOEMEHL,

LIESE, WILDBERGER AND MEINERS.

         Read 1^st time February 10, 2003, and copies ordered printed.

STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk

1205L.01I

AN ACT

To amend chapter 160, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to school district approval for daily observance of one minute of silence.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

            Section A. Chapter 160, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 160.012, to read as follows:

            160.012. 1. The school board of each school district may, in its discretion, establish the daily observance of one minute of silence in each classroom of each school within that school district.

            2. During such one-minute period of silence, the teacher responsible for each classroom shall ensure that all pupils remain seated and silent and make no distracting display to the end that each pupil may, in the exercise of his or her individual choice, meditate, personally reflect, pray, or engage in any other silent activity which does not interfere with, distract, or impede other pupils in the like exercise of individual choice.