Louisiana
Bible’s Ten Commandments are to be displayed in some Louisiana classrooms, appeals court rules
A Louisiana law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom can stand, the 17 active judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have ruled — vacating an earlier preliminary injunction.
The court wrote that it’s too early for the judges to decide whether it would violate the Constitution to have the Ten Commandments posted in every classroom.
“An unripe challenge does not become ripe merely because a party asserts that the challenged action would be unlawful on any conceivable set of facts,” the judges wrote.
A lower court in Louisiana initially blocked the law, and a three-judge panel on the 5th Circuit had previously agreed with the lower court. The full 5th Circuit Friday, however, did not.
The decision comes as the court has considered a pair of Ten Commandments laws — one from Louisiana and one from neighboring Texas. Last month, the active judges on the 5th Circuit heard the cases from both states.
Friday’s decision pertains only to Louisiana.
“Asking us to declare — here and now, and in the abstract — that every possible H.B. 71 display would violate the Establishment Clause would require precisely what Texas forbids: the substitution of speculation for adjudication,” the court wrote, using italics and referencing what the 5th Circuit decided in a similar Texas case. “It would oblige us to hypothesize an open-ended range of possible classroom displays and then assess each under a context-sensitive standard that depends on facts not yet developed and, indeed, not yet knowable.”
The court continued: “That exercise exceeds the judicial function. It is not judging; it is guessing. And because it rests on conjecture rather than a concrete factual record, it does not cure the ripeness defect—it compounds it.”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement that “don’t kill or steal shouldn’t be controversial.”
“My office has issued clear guidance to our public schools on how to comply with the law, and we have created multiple examples of posters demonstrating how it can be applied constitutionally,” Murrill said. “Louisiana public schools should follow the law.”
The plaintiffs’ legal representation — the ACLU, ACLU of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and pro bono counsel Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP — said in a statement that Friday’s ruling is “extremely disappointing and would unnecessarily force Louisiana’s public school families into a game of constitutional whack-a-mole in every school district.”
“Longstanding judicial precedent makes clear that our clients need not submit to the very harms they are seeking to prevent before taking legal action to protect their rights,” they said. “But this fight isn’t over. We will continue fighting for the religious freedom of Louisiana’s families.”
ACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Alanah Odoms said in a written statement that the decision is “cowardly.”
“By forcing a singular religious text onto the walls of our public schools, the Fifth Circuit has flung open the door to the religious coercion of Louisiana’s children. This law transforms the public school classroom, a place that should be safe and inclusive, into a government-sanctioned house of worship,” Odoms said.
MONROE, La. (KNOE) – Shelby Bordelon of Iberville Parish was crowned Miss Louisiana 2026 Saturday night in Monroe, earning the title and a $15,000 scholarship. Bordelon, a graduate student at Southeastern Louisiana University, said the role is about more than pageantry, emphasizing the yearlong service mission tied to the crown.
“Part of the mission of this organization is the service behind it,” Bordelon said. “And the service is so important, you are serving your state for a year… having the opportunities to connect with others… to continue making an impact and leaving my mark on others as well.”
Bordelon, who finished first runner-up in last year’s competition, said the moment her name was called as the winner still hasn’t fully sunk in.
“It was every emotion you could think of that was running through my mind at that moment,” she said, adding she focused on preparation and perspective this year. “I really wanted to go into this year with no regrets… just really trusting in that mindset and that plan.”
Bordelon said she hopes to use her platform to raise awareness for her nonprofit, Claire’s Promise, which focuses on combating drunk driving.
You can learn more about the nonprofit here. She will now represent Louisiana at the Miss America Pageant, which begins in late August in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 20 drawing
16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 20 drawing
1-8-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 20 drawing
1-4-7-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from June 20 drawing
6-6-2-7-9
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Easy 5 numbers from June 20 drawing
01-06-18-25-33
Check Easy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto numbers from June 20 drawing
09-13-16-17-33-41
Check Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.
By mail, follow these instructions:
- Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
- Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
- Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
- Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:
Louisiana Lottery Headquarters
555 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:
555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.
When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
- Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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