| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 5/10/2002 6:07:29 PM Christopher J. Klicka, Esq., Senior Counsel of HSLDA Missouri--Urgent Calls Needed To Restore Religious Freedom |
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- May 10, 2002 Dear HLSDA Members and Friends, Home schoolers now have an opportunity to win a solid legislative victory for religious freedom. The success or failure of this effort to protect one of our most precious freedoms may be determined by your willingness to call. In order to achieve this victory, the Home School Legal Defense Association urges you to immediately contact your state representatives to support the Missouri Religious Freedom Restoration Act (SB 958). Senator Kinder introduced Senate Bill 958 in the Senate where it has already passed. A hearing was held yesterday in the House Judiciary Committee but no vote was taken. The chairman's office has indicated he will allow no more votes before the end of the session. We are so close! Calls are needed now to urge Chairman Monaco to allow a vote on S.B. 958. Please make copies of this e-lert and pass out to your church this Sunday. REQUESTED ACTION (You do not need to identify yourself as a home schooler for these calls). 1. Call the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Ralph Monaco at 573-751-9851 and ask him to allow a vote on S.B. 958 so it can be voted on by the full House before the end of the session on May 17. 2. Call as many of the members of the Judiciary Committee and give them this message: "Vote to protect religious freedom in Missouri! Support the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (SB 958)." House Judiciary Committee Willoughby, Philip, Vice Chair 573-751-6600 Boykins, Amber (Holly) 573-751-4415 Burcham, Tom 573-751-3455 Byrd, Richard 573-751-5956 Carnahan, Russ 573-751-4567 Champion, Norma 573-751-2583 Clayton, Robert 573-751-9614 Crowell, Jason 573-751-2459 Gaskill, Sam 573-751-9801 Hosmer, Craig 573-751-9474 Johnson, Connie "LaJoyce" 573-751-7605 Johnson, Rick 573-751-6625 Lograsso, Don 573-751-1487 Mayer, Robert 573-751-5457 Richardson, Mark L. 573-751-4039 Ridgeway, Luann 573-751-2238 Scheve, May 573-751-9472 Smith, Philip 573-751-9459 Villa, Thomas 573-751-0438 3. Call your state representative and give him or her this message: "Vote to protect religious freedom in Missouri! Support the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (SB 958). Please ask Rep. Ralph Monaco, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee to bring SB 958 to a vote to allow it out of committee." You can contact your state representative and state senator in the following ways: - If you know the name of your representative call the Clerk of the House's office at (573) 751-3829 and ask to be transferred to your representative. - To learn the name of your representative or senator, use HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at: http://www.hslda.org/toolbox. You will need your HSLDA membership number to access the toolbox. If you do not have Internet access, call your county clerk's office and ask for your state representative and senator's names. BACKGROUND On June 25, 1997, by a 6-3 majority, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in The City of Boerne v. Flores that the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was unconstitutional. By doing this, the Court gave the lowest level of protection to religious liberty--one of the foundational freedoms of home schooling. Under this minimal standard, the State of Missouri can override a home schooler or other citizen's right to freely exercise his religious beliefs merely by proving that its regulation is "reasonable." Since nearly all state regulations can be determined to be "reasonable," Christians will lose. Since the devastating U.S. Supreme Court Boerne decision, state and federal courts across the country have diminished religious freedom in many ways. For example: - The long-standing practice of pastor-laity confidentiality has been repeatedly violated; - A Catholic hospital was denied accreditation for refusing to teach abortion techniques; - There have been conflicts with zoning ordinances, such as the forced termination of a church ministry to the homeless because it was located on the second floor of a building with no elevator; and - A church was prohibited from feeding more than 50 people per day. In response to the Court's crushing blow to religious freedom, a broad coalition of various Missouri groups was formed to support the Missouri RFRA. HSLDA is also working with a national coalition of religious groups to bring additional support for the passage of this bill. Passage of this act will raise the standard of protection for religious freedom in Missouri for individuals, home school parents, churches, and all who desire to freely exercise their religious beliefs. If passed, the Missouri RFRA will restore the high standard of protection for religious liberty previously guaranteed in the federal RFRA and earlier Supreme Court decisions. Under the Missouri RFRA, if an individual's religious belief is in conflict with a state regulation, the state will have to prove, with evidence, that its regulation is essential to fulfill the state's compelling interest and is the least restrictive means. If the state fails to carry the burden, the regulation must give way to the individual's religious freedom. Restoring this protection for religious freedom will simply "even the playing field." Don't let one decision by the U.S. Supreme Court denigrate this priceless inalienable right. Urge your state senator and state representative now to restore protection for religious liberty in Missouri by supporting the Missouri RFRA! Sincerely, Chris Klicka Senior Counsel of HSLDA {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 E-mail: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an e-mail with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: {{Email}} - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an e-mail from the e-mail address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your e-mail address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid e-mail address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this e-mail address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any e-mail sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send e-mail to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also e-mail staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
