AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following the bipartisan passage (23-7) of Senate Bill 11, Protecting the Freedom to Pray in Schools, by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston:

“Religious freedom is a bedrock principle upon which America was founded, recognizing our rights come directly from God, not the government. I prioritized SB 11 to make sure religious freedom is not infringed upon in Texas, ensuring our students and educators have the right to pray on school grounds. I thank Sen. Middleton for carrying this bill and for senators on both sides of the aisle for their support on this critical legislation.”

Senate Bill 11, by Sen. Mayes Middleton, allows public schools to provide time for students and educators to pray or read the Bible or other religious texts during school. SB 11 requires consent of students and educators to participate, and students and educators can revoke their consent at any time. Additionally, prayer time is not permitted to interfere with instructional time. The provisions of SB 11, if enacted into law, begin in the 2025-2026 school year.