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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/15/2007 11:36:39 AM Home School Legal Defense Association Virginia: Calls needed to the Governor for Religious Freedom |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 15, 2007 Virginia: Calls needed to the Governor for Religious Freedom Dear HSLDA members and friends: The RFA has passed the House and Senate and is now on Governor Tim Kaine's desk. We have no indication of the governor's position concerning this legislation. Therefore, it is imperative that you call the governor's office and urge him to sign the Religious Freedom Act. This bill is extremely important in order to better protect religious freedom in Virginia. We will join the 14 states that already have the Religious Freedom Act. REQUESTED ACTION Please call or email Governor Kaine and give him this message: "Please sign the Religious Freedom Act into law. It gives crucial protection to one of my most precious rights, the right to exercise my religion freely." You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler, just as a citizen who desires religious freedom protection. Governor Kaine can be reached at (804) 786-2211, or via email through his website at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3908 . 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 homeschooling. Under this minimal standard, the state can override the rights of homeschoolers or other citizens to freely exercise their 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. Passage of H.B. 3082 will raise the standard of protection for religious freedom in Virginia for individuals, homeschool parents, churches, and all who desire to freely exercise their religious beliefs. If passed, the Virginia RFA will restore the high standard of protection for religious liberty previously guaranteed in the federal RFRA and earlier Supreme Court decisions. Under the Virginia RFA, 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." In a somewhat ironic twist, Congress passed a law giving this higher level of protection--but only to prisoners! Prisoners now have greater protection for their religious liberty than you do. This must be changed. For a more detailed information on Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, visit our website at: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3691. Don't let one decision by the U.S. Supreme Court denigrate this priceless inalienable right. Urge the governor to restore protection for religious liberty in Virginia by supporting the Virginia RFA! Sincerely Yours, Chris Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> What's the shortest distance between two homeschoolers? HSLDA's elert service! When threats to homeschool freedoms arise, you want to be able to respond. We make it possible. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1101 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
