HLS 23RS-85 ENGROSSED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 8
BY REPRESENTATIVES HORTON, AMEDEE, BACALA, EMERSON, AND
MCFARLAND
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
SCHOOLS: Requires display of the national motto, "In God We Trust", in every public
elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education classroom
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:262(A)(2) and (B) and to enact R.S. 17:262(C) and 3351(O),
3 relative to public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools; to require
4 display of the national motto in each classroom; to provide relative to the use of
5 public funds for this purpose; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:262(A)(2) and (B) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
817:262(C) and 3351(O) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §262. Flag and patriotic customs of the United States; required instruction
10 A.
11 * * *
12 (2) Not later than the 2019-2020 school year, theThe program of instruction
13 on patriotic customs required by this Section shall include instruction on the national
14 motto, "In God We Trust", and each public school governing authority shall display
15 the national motto in each building it uses and classroom in each school under its
16 jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing
17 authority with a minimum requirement of a paper sign. At a minimum, the national
18 motto shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches
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HB NO. 8
1 by fourteen inches. The motto shall be the central focus of the poster or framed
2 document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font.
3 B. This Section does not require a public school governing authority to spend
4 its funds to purchase national motto displays. A governing authority may spend its
5 funds or donated funds to purchase the displays and may accept donated displays.
6 C. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt rules
7 and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to insure
8 ensure the proper implementation of this Section.
9 * * *
10 §3351. General powers, duties, and functions of postsecondary education
11 management boards
12 * * *
13 O.(1) Each board shall require each institution under its jurisdiction to
14 display the national motto, "In God We Trust", in each classroom on the institution's
15 campus. At a minimum, the national motto shall be displayed on a poster or framed
16 document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The motto shall be the
17 central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily
18 readable font.
19 (2) This Subsection does not require a public postsecondary education
20 management board or a public postsecondary education institution to spend its funds
21 to purchase such displays. An institution or management board may spend its funds
22 or donated funds to purchase such displays and may accept donated displays.
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 8 Engrossed 2023 Regular Session Horton
Abstract: Requires the display of the national motto in each classroom in each public
school and in each public postsecondary education institution.
Present law requires each public school governing authority to display the national motto,
"In God We Trust", in each building it uses and in each school under its jurisdiction.
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HB NO. 8
Proposed law changes this requirement from in each building and each school to in each
classroom in each school.
Present law specifies that the nature of the display shall be determined by each governing
authority with a minimum requirement of a paper sign. Proposed law deletes present law
and instead requires that the motto:
(1)Be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least 11 inches by 14 inches.
(2)Be the central focus of the poster or framed document.
(3)Be printed in a large, easily readable font.
Proposed law additionally requires such display of the national motto in every classroom on
public postsecondary education institution campuses.
Proposed law provides that proposed law does not require spending public funds to purchase
displays.
Proposed law authorizes governing authorities, management boards, and institutions to
accept donated displays and to spend their funds or donated funds to purchase displays.
(Amends R.S. 17:262(A)(2) and (B); Adds R.S. 17:262(C) and 3351(O))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Specify physical requirements of the display of the national motto in classrooms.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.