House Bill 1286 was introduced in the legislature in March 2001, and referred to the House and Governmental Affairs Committee. Although this bill does not explicitly mention evolution, creationism, or education, its language echoes that of anti-evolution bills in other states.
The abstract of HB 1286 reads: "Prohibits any branch, department, agency, official, employee, or other entity of state government or political subdivision from knowingly printing or distributing material that contains information that is false or fraudulent and provides for recovery of costs upon a violation." The key phrases that suggest the bill may be intended, at least in part, to inhibit evolution education prohibit "knowingly" printing or distributing "any material that contains, or presents as factual, information which has been proven to be false or fraudulent." The term "false or fraudulent information" is becoming popular among opponents of evolution. At the time of writing, this bill has not yet been taken up in committee.
May 1, 2001