House Bill 26-018

This act requires public high schools to provide instruction on the Constitution of the State of San Andreas and the operation of state government beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year. The requirement applies as a condition of graduation to students entering ninth grade during or after that school year. Districts may provide the instruction through a standalone state government or constitutional civics course or incorporate it into an existing civics, government, or social studies course. Transfer students entering during their junior or senior year may satisfy the requirement through an abbreviated instructional unit approved by the district.

This act requires instruction on the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; constitutional officers; the legislative process; citizen rights and responsibilities; state-federal relations; and the constitutional amendment process. Students must study San Andreas's mechanisms of direct democracy, including initiative, referendum, recall, and citizen veto, as well as historical constitutional amendments and landmark state court decisions. Instruction must also cover the state Bill of Rights, including due process, free expression, privacy, and equal protection, and teach students about voter registration, voting eligibility, and the role of elections in representative government.

This act also requires students to receive at least one experiential civic learning opportunity, such as visiting the State Capitol, attending a local government meeting, or participating in a simulated legislative or civic proceeding. Each student must complete a civic engagement project demonstrating practical knowledge of government, which may involve communicating with an elected official, observing a governmental body, analyzing legislation, ballot measures, or court decisions, or participating in a simulated government proceeding. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in basic state constitutional and governmental knowledge before graduation, with additional instruction and opportunities to retake the assessment available to students who do not initially demonstrate proficiency.

The Department of Education must develop model standards, instructional resources, project guidance, and assessment materials while allowing districts to develop equivalent programs. The act expressly preserves local control over textbooks, instructional materials, teaching methods, and specific curriculum, establishing statewide minimum subject-matter requirements rather than a mandatory curriculum. The Department must begin reporting on implementation and civic-literacy outcomes in 2028. This act was approved April 8, 2026, took effect July 1, 2026, and is implemented beginning with the 2026–2027 school year.