HARRISBURG (TNS) — A bill has passed in the Louisiana state legislature that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all schools and colleges that receive public funding.
Fox News reports that the bill, HB 71, passed in a 79-16 vote in the state House, having passed in the Louisiana Senate earlier this month.
The bill has gone to Governor Jeff Landry, and once signed, would make Louisiana the first state in history that would require such a measure.
According to Axois, other states, including Texas, South Carolina and Utah, have attempted similar legislation in the wake of Supreme Court rulings such as Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. Such rulings have loosened the interpretations of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits state-sponsored religion.
The bill stipulates that the text of the Ten Commandments must be printed in classrooms on a poster no smaller than 11 by 14 inches.
The bill is likely to face legal challenges, with several organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union releasing statements that it is unconstitutional.
