Missouri Lawmaker’s Ten Commandments Bill Joins National Push for Religious Display in Schools

Christian leaders are expressing optimism about religious freedom initiatives as Missouri State Rep. Hardy Billington introduces groundbreaking legislation requiring Ten Commandments displays in public schools.

The Republican lawmaker from Poplar Bluff has proposed House Bill 34, which would mandate schools to display the Ten Commandments while allowing local school boards flexibility in presentation. This initiative adds Missouri to a growing list of states addressing religious expression in public education.

Under the proposed legislation, schools would be required to showcase the Ten Commandments as a “poster or framed document” measuring at least 11 inches by 14 inches with easily readable text. If approved, school boards must implement these displays by January 1, 2026, with the option to utilize either public funds or private donations for procurement.

The Missouri proposal emerges amid similar initiatives across Republican-led states. Louisiana recently made headlines as the first state to require Ten Commandments displays in every public school classroom, though a federal judge has temporarily blocked the law’s implementation. Other notable developments include:

• Texas’s Board of Education approval of an optional statewide curriculum incorporating Bible stories into language arts and history lessons

• Oklahoma’s ongoing legal battle over a $3 million Bible instruction initiative for grades 5-12

• Louisiana’s current circuit court challenge regarding mandatory Ten Commandments displays

• Utah’s legislative approval for including both Ten Commandments and Magna Carta in public school curricula

The momentum for religious expression in schools continues to build, with several states passing supportive legislation since 2023. Kentucky enacted protection for public school employees’ private religious expression, Missouri approved teaching of religious texts in social studies electives, and Pennsylvania repealed restrictions on religious garb in schools.

Not everyone is onboard, with some questioning if it does more harm than good.

“The potential for the Ten Commandments to be misused, particularly in the absence of a comprehensive understanding of their context and meaning, is a significant worry,” writes Baptist pastor Dr. Greg Mamula in the Word & Way. “The state should not be in the business of such invitations because they will always serve as a filter that reduces the power of the Gospel and distracts the state from its responsibility of dealing with civic matters.”

The Ten Commandments are displayed inside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington DC.  A frieze in the courtroom shows Moses holding tablets with Hebrew inscriptions of commandments 6–10. The famous frieze is part of a series of historical figures that look down on the justices as they hear cases. They also appear outside the building.