Texas Assembly passes Ten Commandments in public schools bill, Gov Abbott expected to sign

The Texas state legislature has passed a bill for the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign into law.

The state Senate approved the bill on Wednesday, after the upper chamber initially passed it in March, and the state House passed the legislation with an amendment on Sunday, forcing the Senate to approve the modification, NBC News reported. 

The amendment, from a Democratic lawmaker, requires the state, rather than school districts, to defend any legal challenges to the law.

On May 1, Abbott posted on X regarding the bill, "Let's get this bill to my desk. I'll make it law."

Texas is the second-largest state with more than 5 million students enrolled in public schools, and follows Louisiana and Arkansas in passing such legislation. Louisiana is currently fighting a federal lawsuit over the constitutionality of its law.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that classroom displays of the Ten Commandments were unconstitutional.

The Texas legislation requires all public elementary or secondary schools to "display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments."

Schools "must accept any offer of privately donated" displays or may use district funds beginning in the next school year. The displays are required to be at least 16 inches by 20 inches and include the text of the Ten Commandments as written in the bill.

The legislation does not ensure that it is enforced, making it unclear what would happen if schools or teachers do not comply.