Bill > HB216

This bill mandates that beginning January 1, 2027, public schools in Alabama must display a poster or framed document containing the Ten Commandments, provided that donated funds or displays are available and determined sufficient by the State Superintendent of Education. These displays, which must be at least 11 by 14 inches and have an approved layout, are to be placed in every fifth through twelfth-grade classroom where U.S. history is taught according to the state curriculum, and in common areas like cafeterias or libraries of schools serving higher grades. The content of the display will include a common translation of the Ten Commandments, a statement about their historical significance in shaping Western Civilization and the United States, references to founding documents like the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, and U.S. Constitution, and a disclaimer acknowledging that personal faith choices are left to students and their families, while also noting Alabama's constitutional provision against establishing religion. The bill explicitly states that local school boards are not required to use their own funds for these displays, and the State Department of Education will identify and list free resources to help schools comply.