Hide Transcript Show Transcript

BACK TO YOU. JESSICA: IN GOD WE TRUST. TONIGHT, A PUSH TO GET OUR NATIONAL MOTTO DISPLAYED ON ALL STATE BUILDINGS IN OKLAHOMA. A STATE HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSED THE BILL TODAY. THE GROUP AMERICAN ATHEISTS SAYS THIS SENDS A MESSAGE THAT ANYONE WHO ISN’T CHRISTIAN IS EXCLUDED. >> THEY WANT TO USE THE REASONING THAT IN GOD, THEY ARE TRYING TO CITE IT’S ALL GODS. REALISTICALLY IT’S NOT. THEY’RE PUTTING FORTH A CHRISTIAN MESSAGE AND THAT’S WHEN THE SEPARATIOOF CHURCH AND STATE BECOMES INVOLVED. JESSICA: HOUSE SPEAKER CHARLES MCCALL FILED THE BILL. IN A STATEMENT, HE TOLD US IN PART QUOTE, IN GOD WE TRUST IS ON BUILDINGS, CURRENCY AND MORE ACROSS AMERICA BECAUSE IT IS OUR MOTTO AND AN IMPORTA

Advertisement Oklahoma House committee passes bill that would require ‘In God We Trust’ in state buildings Share Shares Copy Link Copy

An Oklahoma House committee passed a bill Tuesday that would require “In God We Trust,” the national motto of the United States, to be displayed in all state buildings. House Bill 3817, filed by House Speaker Charles McCall, would require the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to prominently display the national motto of the U.S. in all state buildings. The bill does not apply to school buildings. Click here to read the full language of the bill.Officials from OMES estimate a cost of $250 per building to display the motto. OMES estimates 342 properties operating as state office buildings would be impacted by the measure. The measure’s total cost to OMES is estimated to be $85,500.McCall said he filed the bill as an homage to history, not as a religious statement. The bill states, “the display of the national motto shall not be construed to mean that the State of Oklahoma favors any particular religion or denomination thereof over others” and directs the Office of the Attorney General to defend the state if frivolous lawsuits are filed challenging the displays, officials said. “It is important for government to acknowledge history and project the values that make America great. ‘In God We Trust’ is on buildings, currency and more across America because it is our motto and an important part of our history and founding principles,” McCall said in a statement to KOCO 5.The bill, however, drew criticism from other groups."Plastering 'In God We Trust' on every public building in Oklahoma is exclusionary. It sends the harmful message to atheists, agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, and other polytheists that they are unwelcome in Oklahoma,” said Tim Ward, American Atheists’ Oklahoma state director, who submitted an opposition letter to committee. "The government is supposed to represent everyone equally, not show preference to one religious group over all others."The Oklahoma House Rules Committee on Tuesday passed the bill in a 6-1 vote. The bill now heads to the full House floor. If signed into law, it will take effect on Nov. 1.