| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 1/16/2003 3:54:52 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Pennsylvania--Religious Freedom Bill Becomes Law |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Last year Home School Legal Defense Association and Pennsylvania homeschoolers worked hard to get a bill passed that would have removed 90% of the current regulations on homeschooling. After a tremendous showing at the hearing by the House Education Committee, passage looked likely. Unfortunately in November, a last minute amendment by the chairman of the House Education Committee killed the bill. Thankfully a different bill, S.B. 1421, passed on November 18, 2002, in the final weeks of the legislative session. S.B. 1421 restores the protection of an individual's right to free exercise of religious belief that was taken away by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 1997 City of Boerne decision. If a parent in Pennsylvania is homeschooling for religious reasons and comes in conflict with the state, the parent may invoke the new religious freedom act as a defense. In order to override the parent's religious beliefs, Pennsylvania is required to prove with evidence that its particular regulation is the "least restrictive means" possible for children to be educated. This evens the playing field for homeschoolers and other families who are burdened by excessive regulations. We are thankful that this bill passed. HSLDA has worked in many states to introduce and pass religious freedoms acts. Presently, with the passage of Pennsylvania's laws, there are twelve states that have religious freedoms acts including: Texas, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Illinois, Idaho, Florida, Connecticut, Arizona and Alabama. Thank you for your efforts for freedom, Sincerely, Christopher J. Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel {{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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
