Two Louisiana lawmakers faced off about whether the 10 Commandments must be displayed in public schools and college classrooms. The author of House Bill 71 is local state Representative Dodie Horton, R-Haughton.
The 10 Commandments bill (HB 71) passed by a vote of 30-to-8 in the Louisiana Senate on Thursday, May 16. Senator Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, challenged Senator Adam Bass, R-Bossier City, about the 10 Commandments bill:
Sen. Royce Duplessis: “Do you believe that posting of 10 Commandments isn’t a divisive concept?.”
Sen. Bill Bass: “No.”
Duplessis: “You don’t believe it could be considered a divisive concept by someone who does practice Christianity?"
Bass: “I don’t feel like, ‘thou shall not murder’ is divisive. I would say that everyone here would agree with that.”
Senator Bass explained that “The purpose Is not solely religious,” but also the 10 Commandments’ “historical significance, which is simply one of many documents that display the history of our country and foundation of our legal system.” During debate last month in the House, HB 71 author Rep. Horton likewise stated that the 10 Commandments are the “basis of all laws in Louisiana.”
But Senator Duplessis says the bill is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment by promoting one religion over another. “But I firmly believe that if this bill, or when this bill becomes law, it will be challenged and it will likely be struck down. We’re going to spend valuable state resources defending a lawsuit when we really need to be teaching our kids how to read and write.” The amended bill returns to the House for final passage.
Rep. Horton is the same lawmaker who sponsored House Bill 8, requiring classrooms to display the “In God We Trust” U.S. motto. Governor John Bel Edwards signed that legislation in June 2023 and it went into effect on August 1, 2023.
