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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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West Virginia--Calls Needed Now to Protect Religious Freedom
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,
In 1997, U.S. Supreme Court flip-flopped and dramatically lowered the
level of protection available for religious freedom. House Bill 3233,
filed March 19, would restore the same protection that existed before
the Court's lamentable decision.
Because of the 1997 Supreme Court decision, religious freedom cannot
be restored to the whole nation at once--it must be done on a
state-by-state basis. More than a dozen states have already done so.
West Virginia now has an opportunity to be added to the list of states
with solid protection for religious freedom. We need your help!
ACTION REQUESTED
Please call 7 members of the House Judiciary and Senate Judiciary
committees listed below. Your message can be as simple as "Please
vote in favor of H.B. 3233, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It
gives crucial protection to one of our most precious rights, the right
to exercise one's religion freely."
It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooler since
protecting religious freedom crosses all boundaries. Time is short,
so we need to work quickly.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If your last name begins with A-D, call those in group 1. If it
begins with E-H, call group 2. If it begins with I-L, call group 3.
If it begins with M-P, call group 4. If Q-T, call group 5. Others
call group 6.
Senate Judiciary
Group 1
Jeffrey Kessler - Chair
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7880
Michael Oliverio II
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7919
Richard Browning
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7807
H. Truman Chafin
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7808
Dan Foster
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7866
Evan H. Jenkins
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7956
William R. Laird
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7849
Group 2
Joseph M. Minard
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7904
Corey Palumbo
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7854
Herb Snyder
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7957
Ron Stollings
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7939
Bob Williams
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7995
Jack Yost
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7984
Clark S. Barnes
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7973
Group 3
Don Caruth
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7901
Frank Deem
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7970
Mike Hall
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7843
House Judiciary
Group 3 (continued)
Carrie Webster - Chair
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3252
Tim Miley
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3248
John N. Ellem
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3394
Patrick Lane
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3275
Group 4
Larry W. Barker
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3149
Bonnie Brown
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3106
Mike Caputo
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3249
Michael T. Ferro
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3111
Barbara Evans Fleischauer
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3169
John R. Frazier
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3396
Mark Hunt
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3392
Group 5
Tal Hutchins
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3270
Linda Longstreth
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3124
Harold Michael
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3340
Clif Moore
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3189
Alex J. Shook
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3173
Sally Susman
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3183
Robert C. Tabb
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3274
Group 6
Danny Wells
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3287
William R. Wooton
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3164
Bill Hamilton
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3167
John Overington
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3148
Robert A. Schadler
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3191
Patti Eagloski Schoen
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3141
Kelli Sobonya
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3175
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 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 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;
> 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. 3233 will raise the standard of protection for
religious freedom in West Virginia for individuals, homeschool
parents, churches, and all who desire to freely exercise their
religious beliefs.
If passed, the West Virginia RFRA will restore the high standard of
protection for religious liberty previously guaranteed in the federal
RFRA and earlier Supreme Court decisions. Under the West Virginia
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."
In a somewhat ironic twist, Congress passed a law giving this higher
level of protection--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. Support the West Virginia RFRA!
Sincerely Yours,
Scott A. Woodruff
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