IN HB1232

Public schools and charter schools must teach the Bible as literature in every grade from kindergarten through grade 12, covering the history of Israel, moral teachings of the Old and New Testaments, the life of Jesus, early Christian church history, and the Bible's influence on Western civilization

Schools are prohibited from teaching the Bible as religious dogma or coercing students to believe it is divinely inspired, and parents may submit written requests to excuse their children from Bible instruction

The Indiana Attorney General must provide compliance advice to schools and defend them in lawsuits arising from the Bible instruction requirement, with the state paying all judgments, settlements, and litigation costs when the AG represents the school

Governmental entities are prohibited from denying benefits to any person based on separation of church and state, the Indiana Constitution's religion clause, or the establishment clause, with 11 specific Supreme Court cases identified as unenforceable bases for denying benefits

Persons adversely affected by violations may file civil actions and recover declaratory relief, injunctive relief, actual damages, court costs, and attorney's fees; prevailing defendants in government-initiated suits may also recover costs and fees from both the governmental entity and its attorneys