The South Dakota Senate voted 18-17 on Tuesday at the Capitol to advance a bill mandating public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and teach their historical significance. The bill now heads to the state House of Representatives.

A bill requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public South Dakota classrooms passed the Senate with a 18-17 vote.

State senators cleared Senate Bill 51 on Tuesday with a vote of 18 to 17. Senators that opposed the bill included Democrats and Republicans. On top of having a copy of the Ten Commandments posted in every class, the bill would also require schools to cover the Ten Commandments as a historical legal document in the history and civics curriculum.

A committee of South Dakota lawmakers voted 4-3 to endorse a bill Thursday in Pierre that would require public school districts to teach the Ten Commandments and display them in every classroom. The vote came after an hour of testimony that included opposition from public school groups. The legislation now heads to the full state Senate.

Legislation has been introduced for the 2025 regular session of the General Assembly by Rep. Richard White, R-Morehead, that would allow the Ten Commandments to

First-term Republican Sen. John Carley of Piedmont brought Senate Bill 51, which is similar to legislation that’s popped up in North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. Louisiana in particular has a new law requiring schools to post the Ten Commandments, but that’s been stopped by a lower court.