THE
AGRICULTURE
THE
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7796
State of Tennessee
PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 924
HOUSE BILL NO. 47
By Representatives Hale, Darby, Moon, Raper, Grills, Tim Hicks, Stinnett, Hawk, Sherrell,
Slater, Greg Martin, Wright, Doggett, Eldridge, Todd, Lynn, Davis, Littleton, Reneau,
McCalmon, Warner, Hulsey, Butler, Hill, Barrett, Fritts, Sparks, Reeves, Zachary, Rudd,
Bulso, Bricken, Capley, Keisling, Lafferty, Maberry, Garrett, Powers
Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 303
By Senators Pody, Crowe, Bailey, Bowling, Gardenhire, Hatcher, Hensley, Jackson,
Lowe, Rose, Seal, Southerland, Stevens, White
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to the display of
historical documents.
WHEREAS, the United States regularly has acknowledged the role that fundamental
religious documents and principles have in American heritage law; and
WHEREAS, one of the most recognized sets of foundational principles were the Ten
Commandments, which were displayed in public buildings across the United States, including in
schools, government buildings, and courthouses; and
WHEREAS, for the last several decades, expression of that heritage has been restricted;
and
WHEREAS, the Lemon test was the culmination of separationists' fight to eradicate all
references to religion from the public sphere; and
WHEREAS, litigants like the American Humanist Association, American Atheists, the
Freedom From Religion Foundation, and The Satanic Temple used the Lemon test to block as
many displays of America's religious heritage as they could, including the Ten Commandments
displays and veterans' memorials; and
WHEREAS, one of the largest upheavals was in Stone V. Graham in 1980, where the
Supreme Court used the Lemon test to strike down Kentucky's law requiring that the Ten
Commandments be displayed in public schools; and
WHEREAS, prior to Stone V. Graham, many public schools displayed the Ten
Commandments, and after Stone V. Graham, public schools across the country almost
universally removed the Ten Commandments displays; and
WHEREAS, now, however, the legal landscape has changed due to Kennedy V.
Bremerton School District, as the Supreme Court overturned Lemon, which eliminated the
Lemon test and instead looks to United States' history and tradition for whether the government
may recognize our religious heritage; and
WHEREAS, unfortunately, after over fifty years of Lemon's rule, the traditional
recognitions of our religious heritage are very slow to return; and
WHEREAS, many government officials are afraid of the ghost of Lemon, continuing to
eliminate any trace of religion from their purview because of years of being told that such
displays are impermissible; now, therefore,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 20, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies, as
defined in § 49-13-104, may allow schools in the LEA or the public charter school, as
HB47
applicable, to display the Ten Commandments, the first sentence of the second
paragraph of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, and the preamble to the
United States Constitution in a prominent location in a school building in order to
educate students on the documents' historical significance and how the documents
shaped the common cultural heritage of the LEA or public charter school, this state, and
the United States of America.
(b) If a local board of education or public charter school governing body elects to
display the Ten Commandments, then the text of the Ten Commandments used in
display must be the following text:
"The Ten Commandments
I AM the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his
maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."
(c) Fraternal and other organizations or individuals are encouraged to donate the
funds or materials necessary for the display authorized in subsection (a).
(d) Each local board of education and public charter school governing body shall
determine the size and placement of the display authorized in subsection (a); provided,
that the display must be in a prominent location, with text in a font size that is no smaller
than least twenty-six (26) point, and in a style and manner that is easy for students to
see and read.
(e) As used in subsection (a), "prominent location" means a school entryway,
cafeteria, or common area where students are likely to see the display.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2026-2027 school year and each school year thereafter.
2
HOUSE BILL NO.
47
PASSED:
April 23, 2026
C.J.
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RadyM.Mally SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
RANDY MCNALLY
APPROVED this 7th day of May
2026
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BILL LEE, GOVERNOR