N.D. Legislature approves religious-documents bill

By The Associated Press

04.11.01

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BISMARCK, N.D. — What began as a proposal to display the Ten Commandments in North Dakota's public schools has become a new requirement for school boards to draft policies for the display of religious documents.

"This does not necessarily change the law. It clarifies the law more," said Sen. Terry Wanzek, R-Cleveland. "I think all parties felt that clarification was appropriate."

North Dakota's Senate voted 45-3 yesterday to approve Senate Bill 2177, which says schools may show "a religious object or document of cultural, legal or historical significance" as part of a broader historical display.

The Ten Commandments could be considered a religious document in that context, Wanzek said yesterday.

Schools already have the authority to set up such displays. The new law's only compulsory requirement is a provision that requires school boards to "develop a policy for the proper display of any religious objects or documents."

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has reviewed the proposal and believes it does not conflict with existing court rulings on the separation of church and state, Wanzek said. The Senate yesterday approved House changes to the bill after endorsing an earlier version in February. The measure still must be reviewed by Gov. John Hoeven before it becomes law.

Until 1980, North Dakota's public school and college classrooms were required by state law to display "the Ten Commandments of the Christian religion."

A federal judge declared the law unconstitutional, ruling in a suit filed by a group of Grand Forks residents. It had been on the books since 1927.

Hoeven has already signed a bill, approved by the Legislature earlier, that explicitly allows prayer in schools. House Bill 1437 allows voluntary prayer or religious speech at any time that student secular speech is allowed in school. The bill also allows school boards to establish a minute of silence for meditation or prayer.