Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

                                                     Unofficial Draft Copy
****                                                 As of: 11/07/2024, 02:04:37
69th Legislature 2025                              Drafter: Laura Sankey Keip, ****                            LC 0046
                                                     **** BILL NO. ****
                                                  INTRODUCED BY ****
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  A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REQUIRING THE DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS I
  EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING AND CLASSROOM; PROVIDING SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE TEXT
  AND THE DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS; AUTHORIZING A DISTRICT TO SPEND ITS OWN
  FUNDS OR DONATED FUNDS TO PROVIDE THE DISPLAYS OR TO ACCEPT DONATED DISPLAYS ;
  EXCLUDING THE DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FROM THE PROHIBITION AGAINST
  DISTRIBUTION OF SECTARIAN OR DENOMINATIONAL PUBLICATIONS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL;
  AMENDING SECTION 20-7-112, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
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  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
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              NEW SECTION. Section 1.       Required display of ten commandments. (1) The trustees of a district
  shall display the ten commandments in each school building and in each classroom of each school in the
  district.
              (2)     The ten commandments must be displayed on a poster or framed document that is a minimum
  of 11 inches by 14 inches. The text of the ten commandments must be the central focus of the poster or framed
  document and must be printed in a large, easily readable font.
              (3)     The text of the display must read as follows:
              THE TEN COMMANDMENTS                                                                                      Commented [LSK1]: Note to editors: center this line.
                                                                                                                             It’s up to you/editing standards to decide whether to
              I AM the LORD thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me.                                           center page 1 line 22 through page 2 line 5. LSK
              Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
              Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
              Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
              Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God
  giveth thee.
              Thou shalt not kill.
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                                                       Unofficial Draft Copy
****                                                   As of: 11/07/2024, 02:04:37
69th Legislature 2025                                Drafter: Laura Sankey Keip, ****                                    LC 0046
           Thou shalt not commit adultery.
           Thou shalt not steal.
           Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
           Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his
  manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."
           (4)         A school district is authorized but not required to spend its funds to purchase displays. A school
  district may accept donated funds to purchase displays and may accept donated displays.
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           Section 2. Section 20-7-112, MCA, is amended to read:
           "20-7-112.      Sectarian publications prohibited -- religious materials allowed -- prayer permitted.
  (1) (a) A publication of a sectarian or denominational character may not be distributed in any school. Instruction
  may not be given advocating sectarian or denominational doctrines.
           (b)         This subsection (1) does not prohibit:
           (i)         a school library from including the Bible or other religious material having cultural, historical, or
  educational significance;
           (ii)        the display of the ten commandments in each classroom as required by [section 1];
           (ii)(iii)   a pupil student from reading from the Bible or other religious material during free reading time;
  or
           (iii)(iv) a student from initiating or participating in a conversation about religion, religious beliefs, or
  religious practices. with another student or a teacher.
           (c)         If a school, class, or course has requirements for self-selected reading, a pupil student must be
  allowed to read from the Bible or other religious material to meet those requirements.
           (2)         Prayer is permitted in a school, on school grounds, and at school-sponsored events, but a
  person may not be compelled to pray. The school day may begin with a prayer."
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           NEW SECTION. Section 3.Section 2.              Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be
  codified as an integral part of Title 20, chapter 7, part 1, and the provisions of Title 20, chapter 7, part 1, apply
  to [section 1].
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                                             Unofficial Draft Copy
****                                        As of: 11/07/2024, 02:04:37
69th Legislature 2025                     Drafter: Laura Sankey Keip, ****                       LC 0046
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          NEW SECTION. Section 4.   Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2025.
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