SB2986

School districts, open-enrollment charter schools and institutions covered by the public higher-education definition may allow religious worship, services, sermons or assemblies only if the use does not interfere with their primary educational mission. The organization must provide fair-market rent or reimbursement for utilities, security and other related costs unless the appropriate board or institution waives payment; agree to liability for damage during its use; receive the same rental terms as a nonreligious organization would for that use; and satisfy other applicable legal requirements. Final law, sections 1–2.

For districts and charter schools, the act expressly treats three things as interference: the religious activity during regular school hours; the organization’s signs, symbols, books or flyers remaining on school property outside its allowed use period; or promotion of the organization’s use by the school or its employees, including announcements, distributed information or academic-calendar entries. The final law does not impose that specific three-part definition on higher-education institutions, although their general noninterference requirement remains. Final law, sections 11.173(b) and 51.984(b).

Government bodies may not penalize, sanction or deny funding based on a school’s or institution’s decision to permit use in the manner the act allows. The act says its provisions do not require permission when the institution elects not to give it; that is not a conclusion about obligations arising under other law, which the act expressly preserves. Contracts made before September 1, 2025 are unaffected until renewed, modified or extended on or after that date, when the new requirements apply. Final law, sections 1–3.

The introduced bill contained a broad severability provision. The Senate committee substitute instead included the protection for existing contracts, added compliance with other law and clarified institutional scope. Senator Menéndez’s adopted amendment added equal rental terms and specific interference rules for both school and higher-education facilities. Representative Leach’s adopted amendment removed only the higher-education-specific interference list. The equal-rental conditions and school-specific list survived; the Senate concurred and there was no conference report. Introduced bill; Senate substitute; Senate amendment; House amendment; Amendment index; All versions.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

Religious organizations gain a stated framework for using willing institutions’ facilities, while institutions retain discretion under this act and protection against specified government retaliation for compliant arrangements. Schools must manage scheduling, materials and promotion; organizations must accept damage liability and ordinarily pay rent or costs, unless waived. Equal rental terms do not guarantee free access, and the act does not establish the validity of any particular rental arrangement. Final law.

All five posted fiscal notes anticipate no significant state or local fiscal impact, with costs assumed absorbable within existing resources. They do not calculate a particular school’s rental income, waived charges, utility costs or possible damage claim. Introduced fiscal note; Final-stage fiscal note.