South Carolina H 3217: Display of Ten Commandments in public schools

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3217 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

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