In Arizona, Republican Rep. John Fillmore has introduced a bill that would require students to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning unless excused by a parent, ABC 15 reported.
At present, students are not required to recite the pledge, but schools must provide kids the time to recite it if they wish to.
"I'm a fan of the Pledge of Allegiance," he said, according to AZCentral.com. "I would be hopeful that all of our kids, especially our kids in grade school, would begin each day with the pledge."
"I don't comment on laws as they're traveling through the Legislature," he said. "I just think it's a great idea for kids in grade school to start the day with the pledge."
Spokeswoman Marcela Taracena said that compelling students to recite the pledge violates their First Amendment rights and that students should have the right to decide on their own whether they want to say the pledge or not.
Where it gets murkier, however, is whether requiring parental consent to get out of participation is, in effect, forcing kids to recite the pledge.
However, a 2004 ruling in Pennsylvania struck down a law that required schools to notify parents if their kids didn't participate in reciting the pledge.
Rep. Fillmore's bill won't be up for consideration until January.
h/t: ABC 15, AZCentral.com
