HB 1086

                                               *HB1086.1*
                                                               January 27, 2026
           HOUSE BILL No. 1086
                 _____
 DIGEST OF HB 1086 (Updated January 27, 2026 12:47 pm - DI 152)
Citations Affected: IC 20-30.
Synopsis: Ten Commandments as a protected writing. Includes the
Ten Commandments on a list of protected writings, documents, and
records. Provides that a principal or teacher may not read the Ten
Commandments aloud when students are present.
Effective: July 1, 2026.
   Davis, Prescott, Smith H, Teshka
   January 5, 2026, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.
   January 27, 2026, amended, reported — Do Pass.
HB 1086—LS 6475/DI 143
                                                                             January 27, 2026
            Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
 Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
 additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
   Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
 provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
 word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
  Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
 between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
                   HOUSE BILL No. 1086
    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
 education.
     Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1    SECTION 1. IC 20-30-5-3, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION
2 14, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1,
3 2026]: Sec. 3. (a) This section applies to the following writings,
4 documents, and records:
5(1) The Constitution of the United States.
6(2) The national motto.
7(3) The national anthem.
8(4) The Pledge of Allegiance.
9(5) The Constitution of the State of Indiana.
10(6) The Declaration of Independence.
11(7) The Mayflower Compact.
12(8) The Federalist Papers.
13(9) "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine.
14(10) The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the
15founding fathers and presidents of the United States.
16(11) United States Supreme Court decisions.
17(12) Executive orders of the presidents of the United States.
 HB 1086—LS 6475/DI 143
                                     2
1(13) Frederick Douglas' Speech at Rochester, New York, on July
25, 1852, entitled "What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?".
3(14) Appeal by David Walker.
4(15) Chief Seattle's letter to the United States government in 1852
5in response to the United States government's inquiry regarding
6the purchase of tribal lands.
7(16) The Ten Commandments.
8     (b) A school corporation may allow a principal or teacher in the
9 school corporation to read or post in a school building or classroom or
10 at a school event any excerpt or part of a writing, document, or record
11 listed in subsection (a), except that a principal or teacher may not
12 read the Ten Commandments aloud when students are present.
13     (c) A school corporation may not permit the content based
14 censorship of American history or heritage based on religious
15 references in a writing, document, or record listed in subsection (a).
16     (d) A library, a media center, or an equivalent facility that a school
17 corporation maintains for student use must contain in the facility's
18 permanent collection at least one (1) copy of each writing or document
19 listed in subsection (a)(1) through (a)(9) and subsection (a)(16).
20     (e) A school corporation:
21(1) shall allow a student to include a reference to a writing,
22document, or record listed in subsection (a) in a report or other
23work product; and
24(2) may not punish the student in any way, including a reduction
25in grade, for using the reference.
 HB 1086—LS 6475/DI 143
                               3
                   COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Education, to which was referred
House Bill 1086, has had the same under consideration and begs leave
to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that said
bill be amended as follows:
Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
                    (SEE TEXT OF BILL)
and when so amended that said bill do pass.
   (Reference is to HB 1086 as introduced.)
                                                         BEHNING
Committee Vote: yeas 8, nays 3.
HB 1086—LS 6475/DI 143