S-4577.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6205
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by
Senators McCune, J. Wilson, and Fortunato)
READ FIRST TIME 01/31/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to mandating instruction on the meaning and
2 history of the pledge of allegiance in public schools; and amending
3 RCW 28A.230.140.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 Sec. 1. RCW 28A.230.140 and 1981 c 130 s 1 are each amended to
6 read as follows:
7 (1) The board of directors of every school district shall cause a
8 United States flag being in good condition to be displayed during
9 school hours upon or near every public school plant, except during
10 inclement weather. They shall cause appropriate flag exercises to be
11 held in each classroom at the beginning of the school day, and in
12 every school at the opening of all school assemblies, at which
13 exercises those pupils so desiring shall recite the following salute
14 to the flag: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
15 America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under
16 God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Students not
17 reciting the pledge shall maintain a respectful silence. The salute
18 to the flag or the national anthem shall be rendered immediately
19 preceding interschool events when feasible.
p. 1 SSB 6205
1 (2)(a) Beginning no later than the 2025-26 school year, school
2 districts must offer instruction in the meaning and history of the
3 pledge of allegiance.
4 (b) To the extent practicable, the office of the superintendent
5 of public instruction must make available in the library of openly
6 licensed courseware under RCW 28A.300.803 curricular resources
7 related to the meaning and history of the pledge of allegiance.
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p. 2 SSB 6205


Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28A.230.140
Substitute Bill: 28A.230.140