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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/22/2011 3:04:57 PM Home School Legal Defense Association West Virginia--Update on Religious Freedom! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== West Virginia--Update on Religious Freedom! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Thank you for contacting members of the Judiciary Committee. Your calls have made a difference. Yesterday, I was in Charleston to testify before Subcommittee B in support of House Bill 2873, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The subcommittee voted in favor of reporting the bill to the full committee with a recommendation of "pass." Efforts are now being made to encourage the Judiciary Committee to place the bill on its agenda. HSLDA would also like to thank the following delegates who have been instrumental in supporting the West Virginia RFRA thus far: Delegate Kelli Sobonya, Delegate John Overington, Delegate Doug Skaff, and Delegate Jonathan Miller. This bill is necessary to restore the protection of religious liberty because of recent United States Supreme Court rulings. We are continuing to work closely with the Christian Home Educators of West Virginia (CHEWV) to support this legislation, and we will keep you informed. ACTION REQUESTED If your delegate is on the Judiciary Committee, please contact him and ask that he do what he can to facilitate getting the bill on the full committee's agenda. To see the members of the committee and for more information, visit our bill page at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10413 To find out who your delegate is, visit: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10414 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. It 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." To view Mike Donnelly's complete testimony before the judiciary committee last fall, click here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10415 For additional information, visit our issues library at: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10416 Or, view Heritage Communications of West Virginia's detailed analysis here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10417 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Extreme makeovers are for extreme circumstances... Most homeschools don't need an extreme makeover, but there is something to be said for attention to detail and recognition of accomplishments. Watch the media and you'll soon see that not everyone wants home educators and homeschooling to look good. HSLDA works hard to shed light on the good work of home educators so it's obvious that we don't need someone "making-over" our homeschools. Join HSLDA and help us show the world that we're fine as we are . . . thank you! More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1943 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== 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. ====================================================================== | |
