The final version of a law mandating that the Ten Commandments be exhibited in all Texas public school classrooms has been approved by the Texas House. The law's House version, SB-10, which was approved on Monday and was sponsored by Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford), mandates that the state, not the school districts, must defend against any legal challenges, CBN News reports. The proposed legislation requires every classroom to visibly display a poster that's at least 16 by 20 inches featuring a specific version of the Ten Commandments, excluding additional language in the bill.

"It is incumbent on all of us to follow God's law, and I think we would all be better off if we did," Rep. Candy Noble (R-Lucas) said during an earlier House vote.

"Placing the Ten Commandments and national motto on schoolhouse walls is a great way to remind students of the foundations of American and Texas law. And bringing state law in line with what the U.S. Supreme Court has said about prayer in schools should make it clear to school administrators that student and teacher prayer is completely Constitutional. First Liberty was grateful to support these important bills and looks forward to them being signed into law by Governor Abbott," said Matt Krause with First Liberty Institute.

However, the ACLU and the ACLU Texas joined Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, arguing that the bill violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Meanwhile, the bill's supporters contend that SB 10 would be upheld in court due to rulings from the US Supreme Court, such as Kennedy vs. Bremerton School District.

"For 200 years, the Ten Commandments were displayed in public buildings and classrooms across America," wrote King in his bill analysis. "The Court has … provided a test that considers whether a governmental display of religious content comports with America's history and tradition. Now that the legal landscape has changed, it is time for Texas to pass SB 10 and restore the history and tradition of the Ten Commandments in our state and our nation."

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Stone v. Graham, which invalidated a comparable Kentucky legislation, is still relevant, according to ACLU Staff Attorney Chloe Kempf.

"The Supreme Court has never overruled it. And in fact, in more recent years, including in the Kennedy case, the Supreme Court has affirmed that there is a special constitutional concern when we are indoctrinating students in school with religious messages," Kempf told KXAN-TV. "The Kennedy case…really has no relationship to a bill that requires a religious text to be posted in schools."

In recent years, the new legislation has been a reflection of Texas's move to bring faith back into the public school sector.

SB 11 and SB 965, also known as "Protecting the Freedom to Pray in Schools," were also enacted by the state Senate. SB 965 permits a public school staff to pray or speak religiously while on duty, while SB 11 permits a time for prayer or religious study.

A law requiring schools to display "In God We Trust" posters provided by private foundations was passed in Texas in 2021, CBN News reports.

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