Texas 2023 - 88th 1st C.S.

Texas Senate Bill SB9 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: King S.B. No. 9
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed June 5, 2023; June 8, 2023, read
3	3	first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
4	4	June 15, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7,
5	5	Nays 2; June 15, 2023, sent to printer.)
6	6	Click here to see the committee vote
7	7
8	8
9	9	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	10	AN ACT
11	11	relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school
12	12	classrooms.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Education Code, is amended by adding
15	15	Section 1.0041 to read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 1.0041. DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS. (a) A public
17	17	elementary or secondary school shall display in a conspicuous place
18	18	in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of
19	19	the Ten Commandments that meets the requirements of Subsection (b).
20	20	(b) A poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments
21	21	described by Subsection (a) must:
22	22	(1) include the text of the Ten Commandments as
23	23	provided by Subsection (c) in a size and typeface that is legible to
24	24	a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom in which
25	25	the poster or framed copy is displayed; and
26	26	(2) be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall.
27	27	(c) The text of the poster or framed copy of the Ten
28	28	Commandments described by Subsection (a) must read as follows:
29	29	"The Ten Commandments
30	30	I AM the LORD thy God.
31	31	Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
32	32	Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
33	33	Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
34	34	Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
35	35	Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the
36	36	land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
37	37	Thou shalt not kill.
38	38	Thou shalt not commit adultery.
39	39	Thou shalt not steal.
40	40	Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
41	41	Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
42	42	Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor
43	43	his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy
44	44	neighbor's."
45	45	(d) A public elementary or secondary school in which each
46	46	classroom does not include a poster or framed copy of the Ten
47	47	Commandments as required by Subsection (a) must:
48	48	(1) accept any offer of a privately donated poster or
49	49	framed copy of the Ten Commandments provided that the poster or
50	50	copy:
51	51	(A) meets the requirements of Subsection (b); and
52	52	(B) does not contain any additional content; and
53	53	(2) display the poster or framed copy as specified in
54	54	Subsection (a).
55	55	(e) If a public elementary or secondary school has a poster
56	56	or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in each classroom that does
57	57	not meet the requirements of Subsection (b), the school may replace
58	58	the posters or copies with posters or copies that meet the
59	59	requirements of Subsection (b) using public funds or by accepting a
60	60	private donation.
61	61	(f) A public elementary or secondary school must offer a
62	62	poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments described by
63	63	Subsection (a) in the school's possession that is not needed for
64	64	display in a classroom as a donation to another public elementary or
65	65	secondary school.
66	66	SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
67	67	school year.
68	68	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
69	69	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
70	70	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
71	71	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
72	72	Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
73	73	legislative session.
74	74	* * * * *