Louisiana Ten Commandments law ruled unconstitutional by federal appeals court

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled Friday that Louisiana’s law to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms is unconstitutional.

Louisiana became the first state in the nation to pass the bill requiring public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments in the 2024 regular legislative session. The law stated that it would be displayed with a large, readable font on an 11-by-14-inch poster or framed document.

“We strongly disagree with the Fifth Circuit’s affirmance of an injunction preventing five Louisiana parishes from implementing HB71. We will immediately seek relief from the full Fifth Circuit and, if necessary, the U.S. Supreme Court,” Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.

Timeline of Louisiana’s Ten Commandments Law:

• June 19, 2024: A bill requiring public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was passed during the 2024 Regular Legislative Session.
• June 24, 2024: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit claiming the law violated students’ First Amendment rights. Some religious leaders and activists also voiced opposition to the law.
• Aug. 5, 2024: Murrill called for the lawsuit to be dismissed, arguing it was premature and that the plaintiffs could not demonstrate actual harm.
• July 19, 2024: Louisiana agreed to pause implementation of the law until a hearing could be held, initially scheduled for Nov. 15.
• Oct. 21, 2024: A hearing debated whether the law should go into effect while its constitutionality is litigated. The preliminary injunction allowed arguments on both sides regarding the posting of the Commandments.
• Nov. 12, 2024: A federal judge ruled the law unconstitutional, prohibiting the display of the Ten Commandments in schools.
• Dec. 11, 2024: Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed an opening brief to defend Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
• Jan. 23, 2025: Oral arguments held in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to address the state’s appeal of the preliminary injunction.

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