HB 1674 Summary: Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act

• Establishes the "Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act" to permit teachers to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review scientific strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories in objective manner.

• Requires the State Board of Education, district boards, superintendents, and school administrators to create an environment encouraging students to explore scientific questions and develop critical thinking skills on controversial scientific topics.

• Prohibits state and local education authorities from preventing teachers from presenting information about scientific controversies, including biological evolution, chemical origins of life, global warming, and human cloning.

• Protects students from penalty based on their positions on scientific theories while ensuring students still must learn and be tested on prescribed curriculum standards.

• Requires the State Department of Education to notify superintendents of the act's provisions by the 2013-2014 school year; effective date is July 1, 2013 with emergency declaration.