DISPLAY OF 10 COMMANDMENTS IN
SCHOOLS, ON STATE PROPERTY
House Joint Resolution O
Sponsor: Rep. Ken Bradstreet
Committee: Constitutional Law and Ethics
Complete to 8-16-00
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION O AS INTRODUCED 2-8-00
The joint resolution would amend the state constitution (Article I, Section 4) to allow the display of the Judaeo-Christian 10 commandments in public schools and on state property. More specifically, the state constitution currently prohibits money to be appropriated or drawn from the state treasury "for the benefit of any religious sect or society, theological or religious seminary" and prohibits property belonging to the state from being "appropriated for any such purposes." The joint resolution would add to this section of the constitution the following language: "However, property belonging to the state may be used to display the ten commandments, and the right to display the ten commandments on property owned or administered by a public school or public body in this state is not restrained or abridged."
The constitutional amendment would be submitted to a vote of the people of the state in the next general election.
Analyst: S. Ekstrom