H 3217

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 3217
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-1-315 SO AS TO PROVIDE EACH PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, middle, OR SECONDARY SCHOOL
IN THIS STATE SHALL DISPLAY IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE IN EACH CLASSROOM OF THE SCHOOL
A POSTER OR FRAMED COPY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS THAT MEETS CERTAIN SPECIFIED
REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF SUCH POSTERS AND DONATIONS
OF SURPLUS POSTERS.
Be it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.  Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:
    Section
59-1-315.  (A) Each public
elementary, middle, or secondary school in this State shall display in a
conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a poster or framed copy of
the Ten Commandments that meets the requirements of subsection (B).
    (B) A
poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required in subsection (A) must
include the text of the Ten Commandments as provided by subsection (C) in a
size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere
in the classroom in which the poster or framed copy is displayed.
    (C)
The text of the poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required in
subsection (A) must read as follows:
  THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
  I AM the LORD
thy God.
  Thou shalt have
no other gods before me.
  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
murder.
  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.
    (D) A
public elementary or secondary school in which each classroom does not include
a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments required in subsection (A)
shall:
       (1)
accept any offer of a privately donated poster or framed copy of the Ten
Commandments provided that the poster or copy:
  (a)
meets the requirements of subsection (B); and
  (b)
does not contain any additional content; and
       (2)
display the poster or framed copy as specified in subsection (A).
    (E) If
a public elementary or secondary school has a poster or framed copy of the Ten
Commandments in each classroom that does not meet the requirements of
subsection (B), the school shall replace the posters or copies with posters or
copies that meet the requirements of subsection (B) using public funds or by
accepting a private donation.
    (F) A
public elementary or secondary school shall offer a poster or framed copy of
the Ten Commandments described by subsection (A) in the school's possession
that is not needed for display in a classroom as a donation to another public
elementary or secondary school.
SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 10:44 AM