ENROLLED
ACT No. 264
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 8
BY REPRESENTATIVES HORTON, AMEDEE, BACALA, EMERSON, GAROFALO,
AND MCFARLAND AND SENATORS ABRAHAM, BARROW, BERNARD,
CATHEY, CLOUD, CONNICK, CORTEZ, FESI, HENSGENS, HEWITT,
JACKSON, LAMBERT, MCMATH, ROBERT MILLS, MORRIS, PEACOCK,
REESE, SMITH, STINE, AND WOMACK
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:262(A)(2) and (B) and to enact R.S. 17:262(C), 3351(O), and
3 3996(B)(75), relative to public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools;
4 to require display of the national motto in each classroom; to provide relative to the
5 use of public funds for this purpose; to provide for applicability to charter schools;
6 and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:262(A)(2) and (B) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 17:262(C), 3351(O), and 3996(B)(75) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §262. Flag and patriotic customs of the United States; required instruction
11 A.
12 * * *
13 (2) Not later than the 2019-2020 school year, theThe program of instruction
14 on patriotic customs required by this Section shall include instruction on the national
15 motto, "In God We Trust", and each public school governing authority shall display
16 the national motto in each building it uses and classroom in each school under its
17 jurisdiction. The nature of the display shall be determined by each governing
18 authority with a minimum requirement of a paper sign. that the national motto shall
19 be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by
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1 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.
23 * * *
24 §3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
25 * * *
26 B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and
27 except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a
28 charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
29 Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be
30 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are
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1 applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for
2 the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
3 * * *
4 (75) Flag and patriotic customs of the United States, R.S. 17:262.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. The provisions of this Act shall be applicable on and after August 1,
7 2026.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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