The Texas Senate has preliminarily approved Senate Bill 10, the Ten Commandments Bill, and Senate Bill 11, mandating prayer time in public schools, moving them to a final vote before advancing to the Texas House for consideration.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2025
CONTACT: Emily Witt, [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Senate today gave preliminary approval to Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 11, moving them to a final vote before advancing to the Texas House for consideration. SB 10, also known as the Ten Commandments bill, would require every public school classroom to display a poster of the Ten Commandments visible from “anywhere in the classroom.” SB 11 would mandate a daily period for prayer and Bible reading in Texas public schools.
Texas Freedom Network Political Director Rocío Fierro-Pérez (she/her) issued the following response:
“These bills are not about religious freedom, they are about government overreach. Faith is deeply personal, and SB 10 and SB 11 trample the constitutional rights of Texas families by imposing government-sponsored religion on students, regardless of their beliefs. These attacks on the separation of church and state are accelerating, and lawmakers are moving quickly to strip away the fundamental freedoms of Texas families. It is a blatant abuse of power for politicians to force their religious beliefs into public school classrooms.
“Students already have the right to pray, read religious texts, and express their faith at school. These bills go far beyond that, weaponizing religion to force public schools into compliance. At a time when Texas classrooms are underfunded, overcrowded, and facing a teacher shortage crisis, lawmakers are choosing to manufacture division instead of addressing real problems. Texas families deserve better than politicians using public schools to push their agenda, and we refuse to stay silent as they attempt to erode religious freedom and undermine public education.”
SB 10 and SB 11 will receive a final vote in the Senate before moving to the Texas House, where they must pass through committee review and a full floor vote before heading to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk for final approval or veto.
###
The Texas Freedom Network (tfn.org) is a grassroots organization of religious and community leaders and young Texans building an informed and effective movement for equality and social justice.
