Bill > HB2116

This bill requires all public elementary and secondary schools in Texas to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous place in each classroom, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. The poster must be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, with text that is legible from anywhere in the classroom. The specific text of the Ten Commandments is prescribed in the bill, listing the traditional biblical commandments from "You shall have no other gods before me" to "You shall not covet your neighbor's house." If a school does not already have such a poster, it must accept privately donated posters that meet the specified requirements. Schools with existing posters that do not meet the bill's specifications may replace them using public funds or private donations. Additionally, schools must offer any surplus Ten Commandments posters as donations to other public schools. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas Legislature, otherwise it will take effect on September 1, 2025. This legislation raises potential constitutional questions about the separation of church and state, as it mandates the display of a religious text in public school classrooms.

Education

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2116