Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB407: Revise education laws to prohibit certain flags and banners in school and require phrase "In God we trust" displayed in each classroom of a public school
Status: Failed, May 23, 2025
What the bill says
A bill for an act providing that certain flags, banners, and symbols are prohibited on school property; defining "symbol"; requiring the display of the national motto "in god we trust" in each public school building and classroom; providing specifications for the text and the display of the national motto; authorizing a district to spend its own funds or donated funds to provide the displays or to accept donated displays; excluding the display of the national motto from the prohibition against distribution of sectarian or denominational publications in a public school…
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT PROVIDING THAT CERTAIN FLAGS, BANNERS, AND SYMBOLS ARE PROHIBITED ON SCHOOL PROPERTY; DEFINING "SYMBOL"; REQUIRING THE DISPLAY OF THE NATIONAL MOTTO "IN GOD WE TRUST" IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING AND CLASSROOM; PROVIDING SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE TEXT AND THE DISPLAY OF THE NATIONAL MOTTO; AUTHORIZING A DISTRICT TO SPEND ITS OWN FUNDS OR DONATED FUNDS TO PROVIDE THE DISPLAYS OR TO ACCEPT DONATED DISPLAYS; EXCLUDING THE DISPLAY OF THE NATIONAL MOTTO FROM THE PROHIBITION AGAINST DISTRIBUTION OF SECTARIAN OR DENOMINATIONAL PUBLICATIONS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL; AMENDING SECTION 20-7-112, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Certain flags and symbols on school property prohibited. (1) A flag, banner, or other symbol or seal representing or promoting a social cause, political activism, or social activism may not be displayed in a public school building or on public school property. (2) Nothing in subsection (1) may be construed to prohibit the display of official flags, banners, or other symbols or seals of the United States, the state of Montana, or the United States armed forces as defined in 10-2-802. (3) As used in this section, the following definitions apply: (a) (i) "Public school building" or "public school property" means public land, fixtures, buildings, or …