SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/HB 371

Patriotic Displays at Public Schools
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SPONSOR
Education Administration Subcommittee; Snyder; Shoaf
FILED BY
John Snyder — District 86, Republican [search donations]
Jason Shoaf — District 7, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
CS/CS/SB 182 — CS/HB 371 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Patriotic Displays at Public Schools; Requires, subject to legislative appropriation, each district school board to adopt rules to require display of portraits of George Washington & Abraham Lincoln at each public school in district; & requires DOE to select portraits & make them available to each school district.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Mandates portrait displays in every public school building.

District boards must now require portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in every public school building. This new duty is explicitly subject to legislative appropriation, meaning funding must be secured first.

The Department of Education is tasked with selecting the specific portraits and making them available to each school district. This centralizes the visual choice, removing local discretion over the images used.

The existing requirement to display the state motto, "In God We Trust," is retained but reorganized into a new subsection. The bill clarifies that this motto must appear in a conspicuous place at each public school.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory Display of State Motto majors. 1003.44(4)(a)

AIRequires all district school boards to adopt rules mandating the display of the state motto in a conspicuous place at every public school and district building.

“The display of the state motto, "In God We Trust," designated under s. 15.0301, in a conspicuous place at each public school in the district and in each building used by the d” bill text, line 20 →
§ 2 Mandatory Display of Presidential Portraits majors. 1003.44(4)(b)

AIRequires district school boards to adopt rules mandating the display of portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in a conspicuous place at each public school, contingent on legislative appropriation.

“Subject to legislative appropriation, the display of portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in a conspicuous place at each public school in the district.” bill text, line 24 →
§ 3 Department of Education Selection Duty moderates. 1003.44(4)(b)

AIRequires the Department of Education to select the specific portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and make them available to each school district.

“The Department of Education shall select the portraits and make them available to each school district.” bill text, line 26 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died on Second Reading Calendar; Companion bill(s) passed, see...
2/17/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/17/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/17/2026
Reported out of Education & Employment Committee
2/17/2026
Favorable by Education & Employment Committee
2/13/2026
Added to Education & Employment Committee agenda
2/6/2026
Now in Education & Employment Committee
2/6/2026
Referred to Education & Employment Committee
2/5/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2/5/2026
CS Filed
2/5/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/5/2026
Reported out of Education Administration Subcommittee
2/5/2026
Favorable with CS by Education Administration Subcommittee
2/3/2026
PCS added to Education Administration Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
11/18/2025
Now in Education Administration Subcommittee
11/18/2025
Referred to Education & Employment Committee
11/18/2025
Referred to Education Administration Subcommittee
11/6/2025
Filed
13 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 1003.44
+60 / −18
STAFF ANALYSES