HBA-JEK H.B. 574 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 574 By: Green Public Education 3/11/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution reflect the principles and convictions upon which our nation was founded. Many individuals, however, are unfamiliar with the content and history of these documents. House Bill 574 requires each school district to include an in-depth study of the Declaration of Independence and the constitution as part of the United States history curriculum. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 574 amends the Education Code to require each school district to include an in-depth study of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution in their complete, unedited form as part of the required United States history curriculum. The bill requires the school districts to focus on the preamble of the constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the sentence in the Declaration of Independence beginning "We hold these truths to be self-evident . . . ." EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.