| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 7/10/2003 6:14:01 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Oregon--Your Calls Needed to Help Protect Religious Freedom |
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- July 10, 2002 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, We are even closer to passing House Bill 3586, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)! Your calls and email have had a tremendous effect in convincing legislators that the RFRA is needed in Oregon. The bill's sponsor, Representative Hunt, has asked that we continue to contact members of the House, the Rules Committee, and the governor. Governor Kulongoski originally said that he would veto the bill, but now it appears that he might sign the bill if it passes the legislature. REQUESTED ACTION 1) Call or write Governor Kulongoski and express your support of H.B. 3586. Ask him to sign the bill if it passes the legislature. The Honorable Ted Kulongoski Governor of Oregon 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, Oregon 97301-4047 Governor's comment line phone number: 503-378-4582 2) Call the members of the Rules and Public Affairs committee and give the following message in your own words: "Support religious freedom for Oregon citizens. Vote 'Yes' on House Bill 3586, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act." Rep. Dan Doyle, Chair, 503-986-1419 Rep. Linda Flores, Vice-Chair, 503-986-1451 Rep. Laurie Monnes Anderson, Vice-Chair, 503-986-1450 Rep. Vic Backlund, 503-986-1425 Rep. Betsy L. Close, 503-986-1415 3) Call your own state representative and give him or her the same message in your own words. You can find your state representative and his phone number by using HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox, or by calling the Oregon Legislative Liaison at 503-986-1000. 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 Oregon can override a homeschooler's or other citizen's right to freely exercise his religious beliefs merely by proving that its regulation is "reasonable." Since nearly all state regulations could be considered "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; - A church was prohibited from feeding more than 50 people per day. Passage of House Bill 3586 will raise the standard of protection for religious freedom in Oregon for individuals, homeschool parents, churches, and all who desire to freely exercise their religious beliefs. If passed, the Oregon RFRA will restore the high standard of protection for religious liberty previously guaranteed in the federal RFRA and earlier Supreme Court decisions. Under the Oregon 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 a compelling state interest and is the least restrictive means of doing so. 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." For a more detailed information on Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, visit our website at: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=14. Don't let one decision by the U.S. Supreme Court denigrate this priceless inalienable right. Urge your state representative now to restore protection for religious liberty in Oregon by supporting the Oregon RFRA! Very truly yours, Christopher 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 Email: 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 email 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 email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email 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 email 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 email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
