Senate Republican leader Sharon Hewitt said she proposed the measure to honor veterans and to remind people “that we live in the greatest country in the world.”

BATON ROUGE, La. (WWL-TV) — Louisiana lawmakers are considering a requirement that the national anthem be played or sung before any sports competition held at a taxpayer-financed stadium or other venue. 

The proposal is heading to the full Senate for debate. Senate Republican leader Sharon Hewitt said she proposed the measure to honor veterans and to remind people “that we live in the greatest country in the world.”

The proposal carries no penalties if a game is held without the anthem, however. A Senate judiciary committee sent the bill to the Senate floor without objection.

Over the past several years there have been some protests over social injustice that were marked by players kneeling for the anthem.

In some instances, there has been debate over whether or not to play the anthem at all at games to avoid any conflict.

Earlier this year, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban suggested the anthem might no longer be played before his team’s home games, but the NBA stepped in to say that wouldn’t happen.