SB 51 South Dakota Senate · 2025 Regular Session

require the display and curricular inclusion of the Ten Commandments and other documents.

This bill requires South Dakota schools to display the Ten Commandments alongside other historical documents in classrooms. It mandates that these documents be included in the curriculum to provide context for students studying American history and law. The legislation affects public and private educational institutions within the state by establishing specific display and teaching requirements. This measure aims to ensure students encounter foundational legal and moral texts as part of their education.

Issues: ✗ Education

Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Jan 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Feb 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Senate Engrossed · 5 edits · Jan 29, 2025

MODERATE

This bill requires South Dakota school districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and mandates their inclusion in history and civics curricula. It also allows schools to display other foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence alongside the Ten Commandments.

Scope change

Expands requirements from optional or absent to mandatory display of Ten Commandments in all classrooms and adds new curriculum requirements for instruction on the Ten Commandments and other foundational documents.

REQUIREMENT

Mandates that school boards display the Ten Commandments in every classroom with specific size and formatting requirements.

Requires mandatory instruction on the Ten Commandments as a historical legal document in history and civics curriculum.

Allows schools to display other foundational documents like the Mayflower Compact, Magna Carta, and Declaration of Independence alongside the Ten Commandments.

Permits school districts to accept donated displays or donations to purchase displays of the Ten Commandments and other foundational documents.

Amends existing curriculum requirements to explicitly include the Ten Commandments as a historical legal document in instruction on governmental systems.

Floor votes · House Feb 10, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

House of Representatives Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 31, NAYS 37 H.J. 245

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Introduced

House of Representatives Motion to amend , Passed, YEAS 42, NAYS 26 H.J. 244 Amendment 51M

upper

Feb 10, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (41-26-1)

house

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Education Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 8, NAYS 7 H.J. 1

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to H.J. 172

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Do Pass Amended , Passed, YEAS 18, NAYS 17 S.J. 116

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Introduced

Senate Motion to amend , Passed, S.J. 115 Amendment 51D

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Deferred to another day , Passed, S.J. 99

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Deferred to another day , Passed, S.J. 88

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Education Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 4, NAYS 3 S.J. 2

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to S.J. 58

upper

19 primary · 0 co-sponsors