SPRINGFIELD - Future decisions on Illinois' mandatory moment of silence for schoolchildren could be decided by courts and not state lawmakers.

Wednesday, a Senate panel rejected further changes to the law, which was approved last year. It requires public school students to observe a moment of silent reflection every school day.

This year, the Illinois House voted to overturn the law and make the moment optional instead of mandatory.

Some Senate lawmakers Wednesday tried to change that plan by taking any references to "prayer" out of the law and limiting the moment to a minute. Critics have said the silent reflection is intended by supporters to be prayer and doesn't belong in schools.

A Senate panel rejected those changes Wednesday. The vote was 3-2 in favor, but several lawmakers declined to vote, and more "yes" votes were needed for approval. And the measure's sponsor, state Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Chicago, declined to call for a vote to repeal the mandatory moment.

In the meantime, a lawsuit against the mandatory moment that remains law is pending in court. It was filed by Chicago-area atheist activist Rob Sherman on behalf of his daughter, who is a high school student.

"They want more science and less silence," Sherman said at Wednesday's hearing.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, criticized Sherman for harping on the issue for so long.

"There have to be a thousand things more important for your daughter than to be getting her involved in something like this," Luechtefeld said.

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or 789-0865.