05 LC
14 9161/AP
House
Bill 678 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By:
Representatives Burkhalter of the
50th,
Lunsford of the
110th,
and Davis of the
109th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to certain programs and activities under the
"Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide that state law shall not
prohibit a private school from conducting a prayer prior to an athletic event
held on the campus of the private school; to provide that athletic teams from
public schools shall not be prohibited from participating in an athletic event
held on the campus of a private school in this state for the reason that the
hosting private school conducts a prayer prior to such athletic event; to
provide that public schools shall not participate in interscholastic sports
events which are conducted under the authority of, conducted under the rules of,
or scheduled by any athletic association which prohibits or discourages a
private school from conducting a prayer prior to an athletic event held on the
campus of the private school; to provide a definition; to provide for related
matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Part
14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to certain programs and activities under the "Quality Basic
Education Act," is amended by adding at its end a new Code Section 20-2-319 to
read as follows:
"20-2-319.
(a)
No law or regulation of this state shall prohibit or be construed as prohibiting
or discouraging a private school from conducting a prayer prior to an athletic
event held on the campus of the private school.
(b)
No athletic team from any public school in this state shall be prohibited by
state law or regulation from participating in an athletic event held on the
campus of a private school in this state for the reason that the private school
conducts a prayer prior to such athletic event.
(c)
No school which receives funding under this article shall participate in,
sponsor, or provide coaching staff for interscholastic sports events which are
conducted under the authority of, conducted under the rules of, or scheduled by
any athletic association which prohibits or discourages a private school from
conducting a prayer prior to an athletic event held on the campus of the private
school.
(d)
As used in this Code section, the term 'athletic association' means any
association of schools or any other similar organization which acts as an
organizing, sanctioning, scheduling, or rule-making body for interscholastic
athletic events in which public schools in this state
participate."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.