In Legal Limbo: The Ten Commandments Case Seems to Have No Exodus

Ten Commandments Monument, ,
Above: Former Sen. Jason Rapert and then-Rep. Kim Hammer unveil Arkansas’ monument commemorating the Ten Commandments in this file photo from 2018. Atheist organizations filed a lawsuit to have the monument removed, but the case has remained in limbo for nearly seven years.

As of this week, the lawsuit over Arkansas’ monument of the Ten Commandments has languished in court for six years and nine months — with no end in sight.

A decade ago, the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1231 of 2015 by former Sen. Jason Rapert and then-Rep. Kim Hammer.

Act 1231 authorized placement of a privately funded monument of the Ten Commandments on the Arkansas Capitol Building grounds. Forty state legislators co-sponsored this good law, and some of them — including Kim Hammer, who now represents District 16 in the Arkansas Senate — still serve in the General Assembly.

The Ten Commandments monument — which is identical to one the U.S. Supreme Court ruled constitutional at the capitol building in Texas — was unveiled in 2018.

However, it did not take long for atheist groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Satanic Temple to file a lawsuit over the monument.

The case was filed May 23, 2018, and it originally was set to go to trial in July of 2020. But U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker postponed the trial due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, both sides in the lawsuit have asked Judge Baker to resolve the case, but the lawsuit has remained in limbo.

As we have said many times, there shouldn’t be anything controversial about a monument honoring the significance of the Ten Commandments.

Historians have long recognized the Ten Commandments as one of the earliest examples of the rule of law in human history, and they have helped shape philosophy and laws in countries around the world.

Arkansas’ monument simply commemorates that legacy. With that in mind, we believe our federal courts eventually will resolve this lawsuit and uphold Arkansas’ Ten Commandments monument as constitutional.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Good Bill Filed Affirming Religious Liberty at School

Legislation, ,

Legislation filed Wednesday would affirm religious liberty for Arkansas’ public school students and teachers.

Public schools are not religion-free zones. Our constitution and our laws protect everyone’s freedom to practice their faith — including at school. Students and teachers do not surrender their First Amendment rights when they walk through the doors of a school building.

S.B. 223, the Religious Rights at Public Schools Act of 2025, by Sen. Mark Johnson (R — Little Rock) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs) affirms public school students’ and teachers’ religious liberties.

The bill identifies and upholds religious freedoms that are already protected by state and federal law — such as the right to pray, discuss religion, or read the Bible during free time at school.

The bill also helps make sure that religious expression is treated equally to other types of speech at school.

This will help prevent schools from squelching anyone’s religious liberties.

When it comes to religious liberty, public schools have been a battleground for more than 60 years. It’s important that we stand up for religious freedom at school. S.B. 223 is a good bill that helps do exactly that.

You Can Read S.B. 223 Here.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Bill Filed Clarifying Public School Students Can Receive Religious Instruction Off-Campus

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New legislation in Little Rock would make it clear that public school students may be excused from school for religious instruction off-campus during the week.

Legally in America, public schools may set aside “released time” during the school week for students to voluntarily attend religious classes off-campus.

Released time makes it possible for students to be excused from school so they can attend weekly Bible studies or other religious classes during normal school hours.

Historically, state laws and court rulings have let public schools establish released time policies. In 2007 the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote about released time programs in Arkansas and elsewhere around the country, noting, “Even the Arkansas American Civil Liberties Union agrees it’s allowable.”

H.B. 1139 by Rep. Brit McKenzie (R — Rogers) and Sen. Joshua Bryant (R — Rogers) is a good bill that would strengthen Arkansas’ law concerning released time. The bill writes released time into state law, and it clarifies that public schools must excuse students for released time for one to five hours a week, if the student’s parents request it.

H.B. 1139 helps respect and protect the religious freedom of public school students. You can read the bill here.

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