Texas Ten Commandments bill requiring display in schools heads to Gov. Abbott for approval

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AUSTIN, TX - JUNE 27: Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott attends a press conference celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows a Ten Commandments monument to stand outside the Texas State Capitol June 27, 2005 in Austin, Texas. A sharply

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AUSTIN - The Ten Commandments could soon be displayed in all Texas public schools, if a newly-passed bill is signed by Governor Greg Abbott.

The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 10 by a 28-3 vote on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 10: Ten Commandments in Texas Schools

Dig deeper:

SB 10 would require schools to post a "durable poster or framed copy" of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.

The displayed copies would need to be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall and "in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom."

The bill would mandate that schools that do not have posters that meet the requirements to accept donations or use public funds to replace them.

Several Democrats opposed the passage of the bill. Amendments to let school boards vote on allowing the Ten Commandments in classrooms and pushes to allow codes of ethics from other religions were rejected in the Texas House.

Similar bills in past sessions have failed in the past. Before the session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick listed Senate Bill 10 as one of his priority pieces of legislation.

What's next:

The bill still needs to be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

If approved by the governor, it would go into effect starting in September.

Is it legal?

Big picture view:

Senate Bill 10 is expected to be challenged in the courts, if passed.

In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled against a similar law passed in Kentucky.

A Louisiana law requiring all public schools to display the Ten Commandments was blocked by a federal court in June. The state is appealing the decision.

The challenge is likely to appear in front of the Supreme Court.