| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/2/2011 4:19:42 PM Home School Legal Defense Association West Virginia--Calls Needed to Protect Religious Freedom! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== West Virginia--Calls Needed to Protect Religious Freedom! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: On January 26, Delegate Tim Miley introduced House Bill 2873, the West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), to protect religious freedom. This bill is necessary because of recent United States Supreme Court rulings that have effectively abandoned religious freedom as a fundamental constitutional right of its own. If passed, HB 2873 would prohibit the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion unless it meets the highest constitutional test available. That test requires that the government show that its action which burdens a person's religious freedom is "essential to further a compelling governmental interest and it is the least restrictive means of furthering that interest." Please take action, as requested below, to help secure this important freedom. ACTION REQUESTED Please call members of the House Judiciary Committee and ask them to support HB 2873. Because this legislation applies to all West Virginia citizens, you need not identify yourself as a homeschooler. Please use the following message as a guide, but be sure to use your own words: "Please support House Bill 2873, the West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. HB 2873 strengthens our First Amendment rights of religious liberty by requiring states to meet the compelling interest test before infringing on the religious beliefs of West Virginia citizens. This test is necessary to protect religious freedom." Families whose last name begins with A-K contact delegates 1-13. Families whose last name begins with L-Z contact delegates 13-25. Contact information is below: 1. Delegate Tim Miley - Judiciary Committee Chair Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3252 Business Phone: (304) 326-1800 E-mail: tim.miley@wvhouse.gov 2. Delegate Mark Hunt - Vice Chair Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3392 Business Phone: (304) 344-1800 E-mail: mhunt@markahunt.com 3. Delegate John Ellem - Minority Committee Chair Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3394 Business Phone: (304) 424-5297 E-mail: john.ellem@wvhouse.gov 4. Delegate Patrick Lane - Minority Committee Vice-Chair Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3275 Business Phone: (304) 720-1497 E-mail: patrick.lane@wvhouse.gov 5. Delegate Larry Barker Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3149 Business Phone: (304) 340-3149 E-mail: larry.barker@wvhouse.gov 6. Delegate Bonnie Brown Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3106 Business Phone: NA E-mail: bonnie.brown@wvhouse.gov 7. Delegate Mike Caputo Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3249 Business Phone: (304) 363-7500 E-mail: mike.caputo@wvhouse.gov 8. Delegate Michael Ferro Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3111 Business Phone: (304) 340-3111 E-mail: mike.ferro@wvhouse.gov 9. Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3169 Business Phone: (304) 296-7035 E-mail: barbaraf@wvhouse.gov 10. Delegate John Frazier Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3396 Business Phone: NA E-mail: jfrazier@mail.wvnet.edu 11. Delegate Linda Longstreth Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3124 Business Phone: NA E-mail: linda.longstreth@wvhouse.gov 12. Delegate Mike Manypenny Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3139 Business Phone: (304) 677-0379 E-mail: mike.manypenny@wvhouse.gov 13. Delegate Harold Michael Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3340 Business Phone: (304) 538-6881 E-mail: Harold@hardynet.com 14. Delegate Clif Moore Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3189 Business Phone: (304) 436-8569 E-mail: clif.moore@wvhouse.gov 15. Delegate John Pino Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3170 Business Phone: N/A E-mail: john.pino@wvhouse.gov 16. Delegate Meshea Poore Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3248 Business Phone: (304) 720-0764 E-mail: meshea.poore@wvhouse.gov 17. Delegate Doug Skaff Jr. Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3362 Business Phone: (304) 549-2171 E-mail: doug.skaff@wvhouse.gov 18 Delegate Danny Wells Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3287 Business Phone: NA E-mail: danny.wells@wvhouse.gov 19. Delegate Troy Andes Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3121 Business Phone: (304) 369-8500 E-mail: troy.andes@wvhouse.gov 20. Delegate Bill Hamilton Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3167 Business Phone: (304) 472-1532 E-mail: bill.hamilton@wvhouse.gov 21. Delegate Lynwood "Woody" Ireland Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3195 Business Phone: NA E-mail: woody.ireland@wvhouse.go 22. Delegate Carol Miller Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3176 Business Phone: (304) 697-6540 E-mail: carol.miller@wvhouse.gov 23. Delegate Jonathan Miller 24. Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3147 Business Phone: (304) 283-5975 E-mail: jonathan@delegatejmiller.com 24. Delegate John Overington Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3148 Business Phone: (304) 274-1791 E-mail: john@overington.com 25. Delegate Kelli Sobonya Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3175 Business Phone: (304) 736-6655 E-mail: kelli.sobonya@wvhouse.gov 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. Under this minimal standard, the state can override a citizen's right to freely exercise his or her religious beliefs by simply proving that its regulation is "reasonable." Since nearly all state regulations can be determined to be "reasonable," religious freedom is exceedingly limited. If passed, the West Virginia RFRA would restore the standard of protection for religious liberty previously guaranteed in the federal RFRA and earlier Supreme Court decisions. To view Mike Donnelly's complete testimony before the judiciary committee last fall click here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10178 For additional information, visit our issues library at: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10179 Or, view Heritage Communications of West Virginia's detailed analysis here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10180 HSLDA is working closely with the Christian Home Educators of West Virginia (CHEWV) to support this legislation. We are standing with you to defend your freedom! Sincerely, Michael P. Donnelly, Esq. Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Can you call your attorney at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning? Our members can get in touch with their attorney even after business hours, when they have a legal emergency. Wouldn't you like this level of service? 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