This year, lawmakers in Kentucky will debate legislative matters inside Capitol rooms that are decorated with ‘In God We Trust’ signs. According to local media, state officials put up the new signs inside 11 rooms across the Capitol and its annex, where legislators have their offices and conference rooms. Republican Senate President Robert Stivers clarified that the signs were not paid for with taxpayer money and private donations were used to have them installed instead.

American Civil Liberties Union in Kentucky as well as Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have expressed displeasure over the signboards, saying there is little hope that a judge would ask for them to be brought down.

“We just believe that government is supposed to represent everyone - the religious and non-religious,” said Rob Boston, communications director for the Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “It has been difficult to get these signs removed in court challenges. There seems to be a generality about all this with saying, 'God,' and providing a historic symbol with the motto. It would be easier to remove them if the signs were more specific, if they said 'In Jesus Christ We Trust' or 'In Allah We Trust.'”

Legislators in Kentucky approved the signboards in 2014 after passing an amendment that was sponsored by Republican Senator Albert Robinson of London. To make things worse, similar signboards have already been installed at the Senate Chambers as well as the State House.

“This is America. I feel like this nation was and is established by God,” Robinson said. “We need to show the same respect in the committee rooms that we show in the Senate and House chambers.”

While the signs put up initially were only temporary, the final ones, expected to go up this week, are likely to have the state seal, just like the one seen on the state flag. Marcia Seiler, interim director of the Legislative Research Committee, said last week the temporary signs were put up because the final ones were still not ready to be installed.

Former President Dwight Eisenhower had established the phrase ‘In God We Trust’ as America’s national motto in 1956 and the phrase has continued to appear on United States’ currency since 1864.

Photo Credits: Kentucky Legislature