25.0359.02004
Title.05000
Adopted by the Judiciary Committee
Sixty-ninth
February 10, 2025
Legislative Assembly
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Representatives Hoverson, Heilman, Nehring, Osowski, Schatz, VanWinkle, K. Anderson
Senators Paulson, Weston, Enget, Castaneda, Schaible
A BILL for an Act to create and enact atwo new sectionsections to chapter 15-10 and, a new
section to chapter 15.1-09, and a new section to chapter 15.1-21 of the North Dakota Century
Code, relating to displays of the ten commandments in state educational institutions and public
schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
SECTION 1. A new section to chapter 15-10 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
and enacted as follows:
Ten commandments - Displays.
1.The state board of higher education shall display the ten commandments in each
classroom a prominent and visible location in a cafeteria on the campus of each state
educational institution under its control and administration. A state educational
institution may display the ten com mandments in other prominent and visible locations
at its discretion.
2.The display must be:
a.On a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches [27.94
centimeters] in width and fourteen inches [35.56 centimeters] in length.
b.The central focus of the poster or framed document.
c.Printed in a large, easily readable font.
3.The text must read as follows:
The Ten Commandments
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HOUSE BILL NO. 1145
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO
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I AM the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor
his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
4.The state board of higher education shall adopt rules to implement this section.
5.The state board of higher education and any state educational institution under its
control and administration may shall spend its funds or donated funds to purchase the
displays and may or accept donated displays.
SECTION 2. A new section to chapter 15-10 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
and enacted as follows:
Ten commandments.
A professor, instructor, or teacher at an institution of higher education may display the
ten commandments in the classroom in which the professor, instructor, or teacher provides
instruction, without first seeking approval from any supervisory authority, including the president
of the institution or the state board of higher education.
SECTION 3. A new section to chapter 15.1-09 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
and enacted as follows:
Ten commandments - Displays.
1.A board of a school district shall display the ten commandments in each classroom
and building on school grounds a prominent and visible location in a cafeteria of each
school in the school district. A school may display the ten commandments in other
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prominent and visible locations, at the discretion of the school administrator or board
of the school district.
2.The display must be:
a.On a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches [27.94
centimeters] in width and fourteen inches [35.56 centimeters] in length.
b.The central focus of the poster or framed document.
c.Printed in a large, easily readable font.
3.The text must read as follows:
The Ten Commandments
I AM the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor
his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
4.The state board of public school education shall adopt rules to implement this section.
5.A board of a school district may shall spend its funds or donated funds to purchase the
displays and may or accept donated displays.
6. A private law firm may provide legal services to defend a constitutional challenge to
this section at no cost, including representing the state board of higher education or
any institution under the board's control , in court.
SECTION 4. A new section to chapter 15.1-21 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
and enacted as follows:
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Ten commandments.
A teacher may display the ten commandments in the classroom assigned to the teacher,
without first seeking approval from a school administrator or the board of the school district.
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