WREG.com

Arkansas House OKs bill requiring schools offer Bible course

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas House has approved a bill that requires public schools to offer an elective course on the Bible if students request one.

The bill approved by the House by a 64-7 vote Tuesday would require a public school to offer the academic study of the Bible if at least 15 students request one. Under the proposal, the course would be taught in a “nondevotional manner with no attempt made to indoctrinate students.”

A 2013 Arkansas law allows public schools to offer an elective course on the Bible but doesn’t require them to do so.

The measure now heads to the Senate.