INDIANA— A high-profile proposal that would have allowed Indiana public school teachers to display the Ten Commandments in their classrooms has effectively stalled after missing a critical legislative deadline this week.
House Bill 1086, authored by State Representative Michelle Davis (R-Whiteland), was not called for a vote on the House floor before the mid-session cutoff. While the bill remains technically “inactive,” its language could still be revived if lawmakers choose to insert it into other moving legislation before the General Assembly adjourns later this month.
Originally, HB 1086 was introduced with a strict mandate that would have required every public school classroom and library in the state to display a “durable poster or framed picture” of the Ten Commandments. Supporters, including Representative Davis, argued the measure would provide “moral guidance” and honor the historical foundations of American law.
However, the bill faced significant pushback from civil liberties groups and some fellow lawmakers who raised concerns over First Amendment violations and the separation of church and state. To address these concerns, the House Education Committee heavily amended the bill in late January:
- Removed the Mandate: The requirement was changed to an optional provision, leaving the choice to display the text up to individual schools or teachers.
- Prohibited Reading Aloud: The amended version explicitly prohibited teachers or principals from reading the Ten Commandments aloud to students, though it allowed the text to be included in permanent library collections.
- “Protected Writing” Status: The bill sought to add the Ten Commandments to Indiana’s list of “protected writings,” alongside documents like the U.S. Constitution and the Mayflower Compact.
Despite passing out of committee on a party-line vote, House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) did not schedule the bill for a third reading and final vote by the Monday deadline.
Legislative insiders suggest several factors contributed to the bill’s pause:
While HB 1086 is “dead” as a standalone bill for the 2026 session, the “success sequence” and other religious-themed education proposals such as Senate Bill 138, which would allow schools to employ chaplains—are still being monitored.
For now, Indiana classrooms will remain under current state law, which permits the display of historical documents with religious references but does not provide the specific “protected” framework Representative Davis sought.
