Rep. Adam Niemerg | Facebook.com/NiemergforStateRep
Rep. Adam Niemerg | Facebook.com/NiemergforStateRep
Freshman state Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) is leading an effort to give local school districts the authority to decide whether they want the phrase “In God We Trust” on public school buildings.
House Bill 217 would amend the Illinois school code to give local school boards the discretion to choose to display the motto anywhere on the school buildings in their district, according to a press release posted to Niemerg’s official website. Niemerg took to social media to discuss his happiness at the progress the bill was making.
“My first piece of legislation passed out of the Education Committee unanimously to permit schools to display 'In God We Trust' on and in their buildings in Illinois,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page. “We now await House Bill 217 to get called for a vote in the full House. Thank you to everyone who contacted me and filed witness slips on this legislation!”
Niemerg said that he has been pleased by the bipartisan support he has received for the legislation, the release states. He also said that 73% of the witness slips submitted were in favor of the proposal.
The bill text specifically states that it is not to be construed to require any school board to display the motto.
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