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State Laws on Posting Nat'l Motto

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State Laws - National Motto "In God We Trust"

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Updated March 16, 2004

Many states have already adopted laws approving the posting of our national motto, "In God We Trust" in public buildings and school classrooms. Click on the links below to read your state statute:

Arizona

15-717. American history and heritage

A teacher or administrator in any school in this state may read or post in any school building copies or excerpts of the following materials:

1. The national motto.

2. The national anthem.

3. The pledge of allegiance.

4. The preamble to the constitution of this state.

5. The declaration of independence.

6. The Mayflower compact.

7. Writings, speeches, documents and proclamations of the founding fathers and the presidents of the United States.

8. Published decisions of the United States Supreme Court.

9. Acts of the United States Congress.
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Arkansas

Title 6-16-122American heritage -
(a) Local school boards may allow and encourage any teacher or administrator in a public school district of this state to read or post in a public school building, classroom, or event any excerpts or portions of: (1) The Preamble to the Arkansas Constitution; (2) The Declaration of Independence; (3) The United States Constitution; (4) The Mayflower Compact; (5) The national motto; (6) The national anthem; (7) The Pledge of Allegiance; (8) The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and Presidents of the United States; (9) Organic documents from the pre-Colonial, Colonial, Revolutionary, Federalist, and post-Federalist eras; (10) United States Supreme Court decisions; and (11) Acts of the United States Congress.

(b) There shall be no content-based censorship of American history or heritage in this state based on religious or other references in these writings, documents, and records.

(c) A copy of this section shall be distributed to the superintendent of each school district in the state by the Department of Education, whereupon the superintendents then shall provide a copy to each teacher and each school board member.

History. Acts 1995, No. 295, §§ 1, 2.

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Florida

Title XVI Chapter 233.0651 Historic material; use in public school settings or events.--Each district school board may allow any teacher or administrator to read, or to post in a public school building or classroom or at any school-related event, any excerpt or portion of the following historic material: the national motto; the national anthem; the pledge of allegiance; the Constitution of the State of Florida, including the Preamble; the Constitution of the United States, including the Preamble; the Bill of Rights; the Declaration of Independence; the Mayflower Compact; the Emancipation Proclamation; the writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the presidents of the United States, the signers of the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence, and civil rights leaders; and decisions of the United States Supreme Court. However, any material that is read, posted, or taught pursuant to this provision may be presented only from a historical perspective and in a nonproselytizing manner. When less than an entire document is used, the excerpt or portion must include as much material as is reasonably necessary to reflect the sentiment of the entire document and avoid expressing statements out of the context in which they were originally made. If the material refers to laws or judicial decisions that have been superseded, the material must be accompanied by a statement indicating that such law or decision is no longer the law of the land. No material shall be selected to advance a particular religious, political, or sectarian purpose. The Department of Education shall distribute a copy of this section to each school district, whereupon each school superintendent shall distribute a copy to all teachers and administrators.

History.--s. 12, ch. 97-2.
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Georgia

50-3-4.1.

(a) Local school superintendents of the public schools in this state and the appropriate administrative officials of the various institutions and agencies of this state, provided that sufficient funds or the items themselves are available as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, are authorized to place a durable poster or framed copy representing the following which may be displayed in each public elementary and secondary school library and classroom in this state and in each public building or facility in this state which is maintained or operated by state funds:

(1) Our national motto, "In God We Trust";

(2) A true and correct representation of the American flag, which shall be centered under the national motto; and

(3) A true and correct representation of the Georgia state flag.

(b) The copies or posters authorized by this Code section shall either be donated or shall be purchased solely with funds made available through voluntary contributions to the local school boards in the case of displays in public schools or to the Georgia Building Authority in the case of displays in state buildings and facilities.

Note the Georgia Attorney General's "pro-motto" opinion is recent - December 28, 2000.
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Indiana

Proposed Bill SB 89

Senate Bill 89 would have required Indiana’s public schools to post our National Motto in the classroom. Unfortunately, this bill died because the Chairman of the House Education Committee (Rep. Greg Porter) refused to give the bill a hearing.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

SECTION 1. IC 20-10.1-2-7 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2002]: Sec. 7. (a) As used in this section, "motto" refers to the motto of the United States worded "In God We Trust".
(b) The governing body of each school corporation shall display the motto in each instructional classroom, auditorium, and dining facility of the school corporation. The display must:
(1) be framed;
(2) have an appropriate background; and
(3) have minimum dimensions of eleven (11) inches by fourteen (14) inches.

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Iowa

Proposed House File (bill) 369

This bill was assigned to the House Education Committee in 1995. It died in committee.

Section 1. NEW SECTION. 279.58 READING OR POSTING OF HISTORIC WRITINGS AND DOCUMENTS.

The board of directors of a school district may allow and encourage any teacher or administrator to read or post in a public school building or classroom or at an event excerpts or portions of any of the following: the preamble to the Constitution of the State of Iowa; the Declaration of Independence; the Constitution of the United States; the Mayflower Compact; the national motto; the national anthem; the pledge of allegiance; the writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and presidents of the United States; organic documents from the pre-colonial, colonial, revolutionary, federalist, and post-federalist eras; United States Supreme Court decisions; Acts of the United States Congress; and the published text of the congressional record. There shall be no content-based censorship of American history or heritage in this State based on religious or other references in these writings, documents, and records.

Sec. 2. Upon the effective date of this Act, the director of the department of education shall send a copy of this Act to all school districts in this state whereupon local superintendents shall provide a copy of this Act to all licensed school personnel.

EXPLANATION

This bill provides that any teacher or administrator shall be allowed to read or post certain historic documents or writings at any public school.
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Kentucky

158.195 Reading and posting in public schools of texts and documents on American history and heritage. Local boards may allow any teacher or administrator in a public school district of the Commonwealth to read or post in a public school building, classroom, or event any excerpts or portions of: the national motto; the national anthem; the pledge of allegiance; the preamble to the Kentucky Constitution; the Declaration of Independence; the Mayflower Compact; the writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and presidents of the United States; United States Supreme Court decisions; and acts of the United States Congress including the published text of the Congressional Record. There shall be no content-based censorship of American history or heritage in the Commonwealth based on religious references in these writings, documents, and records.
Effective: July 14, 1992
History: Created 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 170, sec. 4, effective July 14, 1992.
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Louisiana

§2117. Reading and posting of certain writings, documents, and records; prohibition; limitations; dissemination to local school systems
A. No public elementary or secondary school governing authority, superintendent of schools, or school system administrator, nor any public elementary or secondary school principal or administrator shall prohibit any teacher in a public school system of this state from reading and posting in a public school building or classroom or at a school-sponsored event any excerpts or portions of the following:

(1) The preamble to the Constitution of the state of Louisiana.

(2) The Declaration of Independence.

(3) The United States Constitution.

(4) The Mayflower Compact.

(5) The national motto.

(6) The national anthem.

(7) The pledge of allegiance.

(8) The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and presidents of the United States.

(9) Organic documents from the Pre-Colonial, Colonial, Revolutionary, Federalist, and Post-Federalist eras.

(10) United States Supreme Court decisions.

(11) Acts of the United States Congress.

B. No public elementary or secondary school governing authority, superintendent of schools, or school system administrator, nor any public elementary or secondary school principal, administrator, or teacher, in the course and scope of his duties in such capacity, shall censor or suppress in any way any writing, document, record, or other content of any material listed in Subsection A of this Section or any portion thereof based upon religious or other reference or content in any such material.

C. By not later than the start of the 1997-1998 school term, the state superintendent of elementary and secondary education shall notify all public school system superintendents of the provisions of this Section. Each superintendent shall then disseminate to all employees within his school system a copy of the provisions of this Section.

Acts 1997, No. 415,§ 1, eff. June 22, 1997.
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Michigan

Act No. 184
ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 5091

AN ACT to strongly encourage state agencies and units of local government to exercise their constitutional ability to place the national motto in or on public buildings or land in this state.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 1. As used in this act:

(a) "State agency" means a department, board, commission, office, agency, authority, or other unit of state government. State agency includes a state institution of higher education.

(b) "Unit of local government" means a political subdivision of this state, including school districts, community college districts, intermediate school districts, public school academies, cities, villages, townships, counties, and authorities, if the political subdivision has as its primary purpose the providing of local governmental service for citizens in a geographically limited area of the state and has the power to act primarily on behalf of that area.

Sec. 2. This state strongly encourages each state agency and unit of local government to exercise their constitutional ability to place the national motto "In God We Trust" in or on public buildings or land owned or occupied by that state agency or unit of local government.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.
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Mississippi

§ 37-13-163. Posting or reading of historical documents with religious references; display of motto "In God We Trust".

(1) Any teacher, administrator, school council or local school board in any public school district in this state may post in a public school building, classroom or at any school event or read from any historical document or writing relating to the founding of the United States of America or this state, or both, notwithstanding the fact that such materials may include religious quotations, references or illustrations. There shall be no content-based censorship of American or Mississippi History, heritage or culture based on any religious references contained in such documents, writings or records.

(2) Principals and teachers in each public elementary and secondary school of each school district in this state shall display on an appropriately framed background with minimum dimensions of eleven (11) inches by fourteen (14) inches, the following motto of the United States of America in each classroom, school auditorium and school cafeteria under his or her supervision: "IN GOD WE TRUST." For purposes of this provision, "classroom" shall mean any room of a public school where instruction takes place.

Sources: Laws, 1997, ch. 599, § 2; Laws, 2001, ch. 485, § 2, eff from and after July 1, 2001.
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North Carolina

- Subchapter IV Article 8 Part 1 §115C-81-g-3a
Local boards of education shall allow and may encourage any public school teacher or administrator to read or post in a public school building, classroom, or event, excerpts or portions of writings, documents, and records that reflect the history of the United States, including, but not limited to, (i) the preamble to the North Carolina Constitution, (ii) the Declaration of Independence, (iii) the United States Constitution, (iv) the Mayflower Compact, (v) the national motto, (vi) the National Anthem, (vii) the Pledge of Allegiance, (viii) the writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and Presidents of the United States, (ix) decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, and (x) acts of the Congress of the United States, including the published text of the Congressional Record. Local boards, superintendents, principals, and supervisors shall not allow content-based censorship of American history in the public schools of this State, including religious references in these writings, documents, and records. Local boards and professional school personnel may develop curricula and use materials that are limited to specified topics provided the curricula and materials are aligned with the standard course of study or are grade level appropriate.

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Oklahoma

Principals and teachers in each public elementary and secondary school of each school district in this state may display in each classroom, school auditorium, and school cafeteria under their supervision the following motto of the United States of America: "E PLURIBUS UNUM (Out of Many One)" and "IN GOD WE TRUST". For purposes of this section, "classroom" means any room of a public school where instruction takes place.

This act shall become effective July 1, 2004.

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Tennessee

49-6-1011. Historical documents, writings and records - Use in classrooms - Censorship prohibited.

(a) No teacher or administrator in an LEA shall be prohibited from using or reading from, during the course of educational instruction, or from posting in a public school building, classroom or event, any of the following or any excerpts or portions of the following:

(1) The national motto;
(2) The national anthem;
(3) The Pledge of Allegiance;
(4) The Constitution of Tennessee;
(5) The Declaration of Independence;
(6) The writings, speeches, documents and proclamations of the founders or presidents of the United States or the founders or governors of Tennessee;
(7) Opinions of the United States and Tennessee supreme courts; and
(8) Acts of the United States congress and acts of the Tennessee general assembly.

(b) The list of historically significant or venerated documents, writings or records set out in subsection (a) shall not be construed to be exclusive, and the doctrine of ejusdem generis shall not be applied to prohibit the use, reading or posting of other such documents, writings or records.

(c) The use, reading or posting of the types of documents, writings and records authorized by this section shall be undertaken for educational purposes only and shall not be used to promote or establish any religion or religious belief.

(d) There shall be no content-based censorship of American or Tennessee history or heritage based on any religious references contained in such documents, writings or records.

[Acts 1993, ch. 116, § 1.]

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Texas

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 1.004 to read as follows:

Sec. 1.004. DISPLAY OF NATIONAL MOTTO. A public elementary or secondary school or an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003 may display the United States national motto, "In God We Trust," in each classroom, auditorium, and cafeteria.
SECTION 2. Section 1.004, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.

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Utah

Code 53A-13-101.4. Study and posting of American heritage documents.

(1) The Legislature recognizes that a proper understanding of American history and government is essential to good citizenship, and that the public schools are the primary public institutions charged with responsibility for assisting children and youth in gaining that understanding.
(2) (a) The State Board of Education and local school boards shall periodically review school curricula and activities to ensure that effective instruction in American history and government is taking place in the public schools.
(b) The boards shall solicit public input as part of the review process.
(3) School curricula and activities shall include the appropriate study of historical documents such as:
(a) the Declaration of Independence;
(b) the United States Constitution;
(c) the national motto;
(d) the pledge of allegiance;
(e) the national anthem;
(f) the Mayflower Compact;
(g) the writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the Founders and the Presidents of the United States;
(h) organic documents from the pre-Colonial, Colonial, Revolutionary, Federalist, and post Federalist eras;
(i) United States Supreme Court decisions;
(j) Acts of the United States Congress, including the published text of the Congressional Record; and
(k) United States treaties.
(4) To increase student understanding of, and familiarity with, American historical documents, public schools may display historically important excerpts from, or copies of, those documents in school classrooms and common areas as appropriate.
(5) There shall be no content-based censorship of American history and heritage documents referred to in this section due to their religious and/or cultural nature.
(6) Public schools shall display "In God we trust," which is declared in 36 U.S.C. 302 to be the national motto of the United States, in one or more prominent places within each school building.
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Virginia

This bill signed into law by Governor Mark Warner - May 17, 2002.VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER 891
An Act to require the posting of certain statement in the public schools of the Commonwealth.
[H 108]
Approved

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. Posting of certain statement in the public schools.
All school boards in Virginia shall prominently post the statement, "'In God We Trust,' the National Motto, enacted by Congress in 1956", in a conspicuous place in each of their schools for all students to read.

The Office of the Attorney General shall intervene on behalf of local school boards and shall provide legal defense of the provisions of this section.

2. That school boards, at their discretion, may accept contributions in cash or in-kind from any person, as defined in § 1-13.19, to defray the costs of implementing this provision.
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West Virginia

Code 18-5-41 Content based censorship of American history prohibited

(a) No county board of education shall prohibit the use of an educational resource or teaching device any historical document relating to the founding of the United States of America or any government publication solely because the document contains a religious reference or references: Provided, That the use of such materials must serve a bona fide secualar educational purpose which does not advance or inhibit a religion or particular religious belief.
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U.S. Congressional resolution (July 24, 2000)

Editor's Note: Read how Virginia Congressman Robert C. Scott shamelessly opposed this resolution promoting our national motto!

Whereas the national motto of the United States is "In God we trust";

Whereas the national motto was adopted in 1956 and is codified in the laws of the United States at section 302 of title 36, United States Code;

Whereas the national motto is a reference to the Nation's "religious heritage" (Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, 676 (1984));

Whereas the national motto recognizes the religious beliefs and practices of the American people as an aspect of our national history and culture;

Whereas nearly every criminal law on the books can be traced to some religious principle or inspiration;

Whereas the national motto is deeply interwoven into the fabric of our civil polity;

Whereas the national motto recognizes the historical fact that our Nation was believed to have been founded "under God";

Whereas the content of the national motto is as old as the Republic itself and has always been as integral a part of the first amendment as the very words of that charter of religious liberty;

Whereas the display and teaching of the national motto to public school children has a valid secular purpose, such secular purpose being to foster patriotism, symbolize the historical role of religion in our society, express confidence in the future, inculcate hope, and instruct in humility;

Whereas there is a long tradition of government acknowledgment of religion in mottoes, oaths, and anthems;

Whereas the national motto serves "the legitimate secular purposes of solemnizing public occasions, expressing confidence in the future, and encouraging the recognition of what is worthy of appreciation in society" (Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. at 693 (O'Connor, J., concurring));

Whereas the national motto reflects the sentiment that "[w]e are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being" (Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306, 313 (1952));

Whereas President George Washington, in his Farewell Address, stated, "[o]f all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports," and "[w]hatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle," and "let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle";

Whereas President John Adams wrote that "it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand";

Whereas the role of religion in public life is an important one which deserves the public's attention;

Whereas the signers of the Declaration of Independence appealed to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of their intentions, and avowed a firm reliance of the protection of Divine Providence;

Whereas President George Washington, in his First Inaugural Address, said that "it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes";

Whereas the First Congress urged President George Washington to proclaim "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many single favours of Almighty God";

Whereas the First Congress reenacted the Northwest Ordinance, which stated that "[r]eligion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged";

Whereas the Declaration of Independence demonstrates this Nation was founded on transcendent values which flow from a belief in a Supreme Being;

Whereas the Founding Fathers believed devotedly that there was a God and that the unalienable rights of man were rooted in Him, is clearly evidenced in their writings, from the Mayflower Compact to the Constitution itself;

Whereas religion has been closely identified with the history and Government of the United States;

Whereas our national life reflects a religious people who earnestly pray that the Supreme Lawgiver guide them in every measure which may be worthy of His blessing; and

Whereas the national motto is prominently engraved in the wall above the Speaker's dais in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, appears over the entrance to the Chamber of the Senate, and is depicted on all United States coins and currency:

Now therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives encourages the display of the national motto of the United States in public buildings throughout the Nation.
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