Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2962 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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30	30	2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (202 4)
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32	32	HOUSE BILL 2962 By: Olsen
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38	38	AS INTRODUCED
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40	40	An Act relating to schools; requiring display of Ten
41	41	Commandments in public sc hool classrooms; prescribing
42	42	method for display; providing text of Ten
43	43	Commandments; providing for acceptance of donated
44	44	displays; permitting replacement of certain displays;
45	45	directing school to donate unused displays ; providing
46	46	for codification; providing an effective date ; and
47	47	declaring an emergency .
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52	52	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
53	53	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
54	54	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-106.2 of Title 70, unless
55	55	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follo ws:
56	56	A. Beginning with the 2024 -2025 school year, every public
57	57	school shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the
58	58	school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments that
59	59	meets the requirements of subsection B of this section.
60	60	B. A poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required by
61	61	subsection A of this section shall :
62	62	1. Include the text of the Ten Commandments as provided by
63	63	subsection C of this section in a size and typeface that is legible
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90	90	to a person with average vis ion from anywhere in the classroom in
91	91	which the poster or framed copy is displayed; and
92	92	2. Be at least sixteen (16) inches wide and twenty (20) inches
93	93	tall.
94	94	C. The text of the poster or framed copy o f the Ten
95	95	Commandments shall read as follows:
96	96	"The Ten Commandments
97	97	I AM the LORD thy God.
98	98	Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
99	99	Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
100	100	Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy Go d in vain.
101	101	Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
102	102	Honor thy father and thy mot her, that thy days may be long upon the
103	103	land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
104	104	Thou shalt not kill.
105	105	Thou shalt not commit adultery.
106	106	Thou shalt not steal.
107	107	Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
108	108	Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor 's house.
109	109	Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor 's wife, nor his manservant, nor
110	110	his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anyth ing that is thy
111	111	neighbor's."
112	112	D. A public school in which each classroom does not include a
113	113	poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments shall:
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140	140	1. Accept any offer of a privately donated poster or framed
141	141	copy of the Ten Commandments provided that the poster or copy:
142	142	a. meets the requirements of subsection B of this
143	143	section, and
144	144	b. does not contain any additional content; and
145	145	2. Display the poster or framed copy as required by subsection
146	146	A of this section.
147	147	E. If a public school has a poster or framed copy of the Ten
148	148	Commandments in each classroom that does not meet the requirements
149	149	of subsection B of this section, the school may replace the m with
150	150	privately donated posters or copies that meet the requirements for
151	151	display.
152	152	F. A public school shall offer a poster or framed copy of the
153	153	Ten Commandments required by subsection A of this section in the
154	154	school's possession that is not needed for display in a classroom as
155	155	a donation to another public school.
156	156	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
157	157	SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
158	158	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
159	159	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
160	160	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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162	162	59-2-8416 EK 07/10/23