Texas Senate bill by Sen. Middleton allows school prayer policies, passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Mayes Middleton seeks to permit school districts and charter schools to adopt policies for daily prayer and religious readings, aiming to respect parental consent and ensure voluntary participation, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the Senate, three Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while seven Democrats opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the House, six Democrats and 82 Republicans voted in favor, while 48 Democrats voted against it.

Mayes Middleton introduced the bill in the Texas Senate on Monday, Feb. 10, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Middleton graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA and again from University of Texas Law School with a JD.

Middleton, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 11th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Larry Taylor.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text in public schools’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill allows the board of trustees of a school district or a charter school not affiliated with a religious organization in Texas to adopt a policy permitting a period of prayer and reading of religious texts, including the Bible, each school day. Participation necessitates signed consent from either the parent/guardian or the employee, acknowledging the choice to engage and waiving legal claims against the district. The bill prohibits the use of public-address systems for prayers or readings and ensures these activities do not replace instructional time. Provisions must ensure those without consent are not exposed to the activities, and the attorney general provides guidance and defense regarding policy compliance. The requirement for policy adoption decisions takes effect with the 2025-26 school year, contingent on the legislative approval timing.

The bill was co-authored by Sen. Donna Campbell (Republican – District 25), Sen. Kelly Hancock (Republican – District 9), and Sen. Charles Schwertner (Republican – District 5), along with 16 other authors.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Friday, May 23, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.