PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE:  REQUIRED

EACH SCHOOL DAY

Senate Bill 637 as passed the Senate

Sponsor:  Sen. Roger Kahn, M.D.

House Committee:  Education

Senate Committee:  Education

Complete to 5-22-12

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 637 AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 11-10-11

Section 1347 of the Revised School Code requires a school district to purchase and display a United States flag for each school building in the district.  Senate Bill 637 (S-1) would amend the section to ensure that a flag is displayed in each classroom or other instructional site in which students are required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Further, the bill would require the board of each school district, intermediate district, and charter school to ensure that each student is required to recite each school day the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States. However, the bill provides that a student could not be compelled to recite the Pledge against the student's or a parent's objections. 

Finally, the board would have to ensure that a student is not penalized or bullied, if he or she did not recite the pledge.

MCL 380.1347

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would impose additional costs on districts, intermediate districts, and public school academies to the extent that they would be required to acquire additional U.S. flags in order to have a flag available in each room were the pledge is to be recited.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Bethany Wicksall

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.