1Providing for the display of the national motto "In God We
2Trust" in classrooms and other areas in public school
3buildings.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Short title.

7This act shall be known and may be cited as the National
8Motto Display Act.

9Section 2. Legislative findings and declarations.

10The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

11(1) The motto "In God We Trust" is part of the history
12and heritage of the United States. On April 22, 2014, we <-will 
13celebrate <-celebrated the 150th anniversary of our national
14motto "In God We Trust" on our coins. Although this phrase
15was not officially established as our national motto until a
16law was passed by the 84th Congress and approved by President

1Eisenhower, it was first introduced to the nation by Francis
2Scott Key in 1814 as words that would be included in our
3national anthem.

4(2) It was a Pennsylvanian however, that installed those
5words on our coins. James Pollock from Milton, Pennsylvania,
6became our 13th governor serving from 1855 to 1858. He was
7known as "The Great Christian Governor." Prior to Pollock's
8term as Governor and as one of the original trustees when The
9Pennsylvania State University became a charter, he served as
10a member of the Congress of the United States and became
11friends with then congressman, Abraham Lincoln. When Lincoln
12became president, he appointed Pollock director of the United
13States Mint.

14(3) Pollock suggested the motto "In God We Trust" be
15featured on all United States currency. This practice first
16occurred in April of 1864 when Congress approved the use of
17the motto on United States two-cent pieces. Since then, the
18motto has been inscribed on most denominations of coins in an
19uninterrupted period of time extending from the present back
20to 1916.

21(4) In 1956, the Congress of the United States adopted
22the motto "In God We Trust" as the national motto. It is
23currently codified at 36 U.S.C. § 302 (relating to national
24motto). Since 1957, the United States Bureau of Engraving and
25Printing has gradually incorporated the motto in the design
26on the reverse of all paper currency.

27(5) On July 24, 2000, the United States House of
28Representatives, along with the concurrence of the Senate,
29unanimously resolved to encourage the display of the national
30motto of the United States in public buildings throughout the

1nation.

2(6) To increase student understanding of and familiarity
3with American historical documents, historically important
4excerpts from or copies of the documents should be
5prominently displayed in public school buildings.

6(7) The Federal 5th, 9th and 10th Circuit Courts have
7ruled that displaying the national motto passes
8constitutional muster so long as the purpose of the display
9is to advance or endorse the national motto rather than a
10particular religious belief or practice.

11Section 3. Display of motto.

12(a) <-Board of directors.--The board of directors of every 
13school district <-School entities.--Each school entity in this
14Commonwealth <-shall may display the motto "In God We Trust,"
15which is declared in 36 U.S.C. § 302 (relating to national
16motto) to be the national motto of the United States, <-and the 
17first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, 
18also known as the Bill of Rights, in each school building.

19(b) Form.--The display of the motto "In God We Trust" may
20take the form of, but is not limited to, a mounted plaque or may
21include artwork as a result of a student contest that <-will may
22be prominently displayed in each school building.

<-23(c) Duties of secretary.--The Secretary of Education shall
24provide each school entity with notification of the provisions
25of subsections (a) and (b) and recommendations for promotion of
26the national motto in accordance with this section within 15
27days of the effective date of this section and every five years
28thereafter.

29(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, "school entity"
30means a school district, joint school district, area vocational-

1technical school, intermediate unit, charter school, regional
2charter school or cyber charter school.

3Section <-20 4. Effective date.

4This act shall take effect in 60 days.