GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

H                                                                                                                                                   D

HOUSE BILL DRH10443-MVa-19

Short Title:      National and State Mottos in Schools Act.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Bert Jones, Johnson, Arp, and Shepard (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require display of the national motto AND THE STATE MOTTO in public schools.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  This act shall be known as the "National and State Mottos in Schools Act."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑47 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C‑47.  Powers and duties generally.

In addition to the powers and duties designated in G.S. 115C‑36, local boards of education shall have the power or duty:

…

(29a)    To Require the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags,Flags and of the National and State Mottos and to Require the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Local boards of education shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom, when available, (ii)(ii) require the display of the national motto, "In God We Trust," and the State motto, "To Be Rather Than to Seem," in at least one prominent location of each school, such as an entry way, cafeteria, or other common area, (iii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii)(iv) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.

(29c)    To Allow and Encourage the Reading and Posting of Documents on the History of the United States and With Historical Significance for the United States.

a.         Local In addition to the requirements of subdivision (29a) of this section, local boards of education shall allow and may encourage any public school teacher or administrator to read or post in a public school building, classroom, or event excerpts or portions of writings, documents, and records that reflect the history of the United States, including, but not limited to:

1.         The preamble to the North Carolina Constitution.

2.         The Declaration of Independence.

3.         The United States Constitution.

4.         The Mayflower Compact.

5.         The national motto.

6.         The National Anthem.

7.         The Pledge of Allegiance.

8.         The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and Presidents of the United States.

9.         Decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States.

10.       Acts of the Congress of the United States, including the published text of the Congressional Record.

…."

SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C‑218.80 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C‑218.80.  Display of the United States and North Carolina flags and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

A charter school shall (i) display the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom when available, (ii)(ii) display the national motto, "In God We Trust," and the State motto, "To Be Rather Than to Seem," in at least one prominent location of each school, such as an entry way, cafeteria, or other common area, (iii) require that the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii)(iv) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. A charter school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom."

SECTION 4.  Notwithstanding G.S. 143C‑5‑2, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to implement the requirements of this act, including to fund the purchase of supplies for students to create displays or to fund the purchase of mounted plaques.

SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2018, and applies beginning with the 2018‑2019 school year.