Georgia CommonsHB 1249: Education; require public elementary and secondary schools to display the Bill of Rights in multiple locations
Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action February 11, 2026 · Introduced
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
House Bill 1249
By: Representative Santos of the 117th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 19A of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to American history recognition and significant documents, so as to require public elementary and secondary schools in this state to display the Bill of Rights in multiple locations; to provide for specifications for such displays; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 19A of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to American history recognition and significant documents, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-1021, relating to display of historically significant documents, as follows:
"20-2-1021.
(a) To increase student understanding of, and familiarity with, American historical documents, public schools may display historically important excerpts from, or copies of, those documents in school classrooms and common areas as appropriate. Local boards of education and charter schools are strongly encouraged to 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, records, or images that reflect the history of the United States, including, but not limited to:
(1) The Preamble to the Georgia Constitution;
(2) The Declaration of Independence;
(3) The United States Constitution, with emphasis on the 13th, 14th, and 15th Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments;
(4) The Bill of Rights;
(5) The Mayflower Compact;
(6) The national motto;
(7) The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag;
(7.1) The Pledge of Allegiance to the Georgia flag;
(8) The National Anthem;
(9) The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the Founding Fathers and Presidents of the United States;
(9.1) The Emancipation Proclamation;
(9.2) The Gettysburg Address;
(10) Decisions of the United States Supreme Court; and
(11) Acts of the Congress of the United States, including the published text of the Congressional Record.
(b)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each public elementary and secondary school in this state shall display in each of the three locations provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection a durable poster or framed copy of the Bill of Rights in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(2) A durable poster or framed copy of the Bill of Rights, as required in paragraph (1) of this subsection, shall be displayed in a manner and location in which it can easily be read by both students and adults in locations within each school facility fitting the following descriptions:
(A) The main entrance of the main building;
(B) The main entrance of the school library or media center; and
(C) The main entrance of the cafeteria.
(3) Each durable poster or framed copy of the Bill of Rights as required in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall:
(A) Measure at least 18 inches in width and 24 inches in height; and
(B) Contain only the following text, in the following order:
(i) A centered heading entitled 'The Bill of Rights' set out in a font size larger than any other text set out on such durable poster or framed copy; and
(ii) The text of the First through Tenth Amendments of the United States Constitution, including a subheading indicating the respective amendment, in a font size and typeface legible to a person with average vision from within the locations listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection in which the durable poster or framed copy is displayed.
(4)(A) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require any public school, local school system, or local board of education to spend public funds to purchase any durable posters or framed copies of the Bill of Rights in order to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(B) Each public school, local school system, or local board of education shall accept:
(i) Funds donated for the purchase of durable posters or framed copies of the Bill of Rights, as required in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(ii) Any offer of a privately donated durable poster or framed copy of the Bill of Rights; provided, however, that such durable poster or framed copy meets the requirements set forth in paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the requirements of this subsection.
(6) The Department of Education shall publish on its website information that identifies free resources that comply with the provisions of this subsection. (b)(c) As historical documents, there shall be no content based censorship of American history and heritage documents referred to in this Code section due to their religious or cultural nature."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.