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| Date: From: Subject: | 5/2/2005 8:59:21 AM Home School Legal Defense Association Nevada--Calls Needed to Support Religious Freedom Bill to Protect Homeschoolers |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== April 29, 2005 Nevada--Calls Needed to Support Religious Freedom Bill to Protect Homeschoolers Dear HSLDA members and friends: Thank you for your calls to committee members for The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), Assembly Bill 246. Although we told you it was not necessary in our last e-lert to call the sponsor of this bill, Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, he has informed us that he has not received many calls in support of the bill. We are now asking that you specifically call Assemblyman Anderson's office, along with other members of the committee. Assemblyman Anderson is also the Chairman of the committee. Passage of a RFRA in Nevada will help maintain your homeschool freedom. We are using RFRAs to help homeschoolers successfully avoid onerous requirements under the homeschool laws in Pennsylvania and Florida. As of August 2004, more than a quarter of the states have acted to protect religious freedom. Rhode Island, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, South Carolina, Texas, Idaho, New Mexico, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Oklahoma have passed their own state Religious Freedom Acts. HSLDA's legal staff has worked with religious freedom coalitions in the states (and the national state religious freedom coalition), helped draft legislation, lobbied individual state legislators, attorney generals, and governor offices, sent out numerous e-lerts, and provided testimony at some legislative hearings in order to advance these Religious Freedom Acts. The phone calls of thousands of homeschoolers particularly contributed to the passage of the RFRA's in Illinois, Arizona, Texas, South Carolina, Idaho, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Illinois was successful after two HSLDA e-lerts and a tremendous outpouring of calls by homeschoolers convinced legislators to override the governor's veto. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental foundation blocks for the right to homeschool. Therefore, passage of a RFRA in Nevada will strengthen your right to homeschool. ACTION REQUESTED 1) Please call as many members of the committee below and give them this message: "Protect religious freedom in Nevada. Please vote to support the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Assembly Bill 246." You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler because this bill will help protect everyone's religious freedom. Representatives on the Assembly Judiciary Committee: Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, Chair 775-684-8563 Assemblyman William Horne, Vice-Chair 775-684-8847 Assemblyman Barbara Buckley 775-684-8537 Assemblyman Marcus Conklin 775-684-8505 Assemblyman Susan Gerhardt 775-684-8855 Assemblyman Mark Manendo 775-684-8801 Assemblyman Harry Mortenson 775-684-8803 Assemblyman John Oceguera 775-684-8595 Assemblyman Genie Ohrenschall 775-684-8819 Assemblyman Francis Allen 775-684-8829 Assemblyman Sharon Angle 775-684-8848 Assemblyman John Carpenter 775-684-8831 Assemblyman Brooks Holcomb 775-684-8559 Assemblyman Garn Mabey 775-684-8827 2) Also call your own state representative and give him the same message as above. The general number for the Nevada General Assembly is 800-992-0973. To learn the name of your representative, use HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at: http://www.hslda.org/toolbox . (If you do not have Internet access, call your county clerk's office and ask for your state representative's name). 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 making this ruling, the Court gave the lowest level of protection to religious liberty, one of the foundational freedoms of homeschooling. Under this minimal standard, Nevada can override a homeschooler 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 Boerne decision, state and federal courts across the country have diminished religious freedom in many ways. For example: The long standing practice of pastor congregation confidentiality has been repeatedly violated. - A church sponsored 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 ministry was prohibited from feeding more than 50 people per day. Passage of this act will raise the standard of protection for religious freedom in Nevada for individuals, homeschool parents, churches, and all who desire to freely exercise their religious beliefs. If passed, the Nevada RFRA, will restore the high standard of protection for religious liberty previously guaranteed in the federal RFRA and earlier Supreme Court decisions. Under the Nevada 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 fulfilling the state's compelling 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." 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 Nevada by supporting A.B. 246. Sincerely, Chris Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How many of your friends would pay your legal fees? As a member of HSLDA, you have 80,000 families standing with you to protect and advance homeschool freedoms in the United States and foreign countries. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
