DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 145 Original 2020 Regular Session Hodges
Abstract: Requires rather than authorizes all public schools to provide students with the opportunity
to recite the pledge of allegiance as a group.
Present law, relative to the recitation of the pledge of allegiance in public schools, allows individual
schools to decide whether to permit group recitation. If group recitation is authorized, present law
requires that it occur at the commencement of the first class of each day.
Proposed law requires, rather than authorizes, that students be given an opportunity for group
recitation of the pledge. Requires that the opportunity be provided at the beginning of each school
day and requires that students be encouraged to exhibit respectful behavior toward others during the
recitation.
Proposed law changes reference to the pledge from the pledge of allegiance to the Pledge of
Allegiance to the United States Flag.
(Amends R.S. 17:2115 and 2117(A)(7); Adds R.S. 17:2117.1)