Texas House advances Ten Commandments bill

A bill requiring public elementary or secondary school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments is one step closer to becoming law. The Texas House on Sunday passed Senate Bill 10, or SB-10, in a vote of 82-46. 

The bill is scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1 if Gov. Greg Abbott signs it into law.

The bill requires that Ten Commandments be visible in the classroom in the form of either a durable or framed poster. Additionally, the display must be at least 16-by-20 inches in size. The poster cannot contain any additional content or language, according to the bill’s text.

No public school can be exempted from the bill. Public schools that do not post the Ten Commandments are required to accept any offer of a privately donated poster or framed copy, according to the bill.

Prior to its vote, the Texas House amended the bill to hold the state responsible for any legal challenges school districts may face.

What do critics of the bill say? Critics argue that SB 10 violates the Texas Constitution’s prohibition of compelled religious activity or preferential treatment to a particular religion. Democratic state Rep. John Bryant insisted he revered the Ten Commandments but added that it did not seem fair to ask non-Christians and Jewish taxpayers to subsidize their display.

What do the bill’s supporters say? Texas state Senator Phil King, a Republican, sponsored SB 10. He said having the Ten Commandments in the classroom will provide students a foundation to know the difference between right and wrong, as  well as an understanding of American history and law. Proponents of the bill also say the Texas Constitution requires the legislature to pass laws to equally protect every religious denomination’s ability to peaceably enjoy public worship.