Written by Don ByrdLots of pundits, reporters, and experts are weighing in today on the aftermath of Governor Brewer’s decision to veto controversial amendments to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The changes were designed to bolster businesses and individuals’ right to refuse service when in conflict with religious beliefs. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, the idea – which many states are considering in some form – has gained national attention.
Here are some clips from today’s perspective pieces around the web…
Written by Don ByrdThe Arizona legislature last week passed sweeping amendments to the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act that would protect individuals and businesses from government regulation as well as private lawsuits for their religiously motivated conduct. The bill will not become law, however, following tonight’s veto from Governor Jan Brewer. In her veto statement, she explained her reasoning…
Written by Don ByrdFrom Kansas to Arizona, state religious freedom legislation has been a troubling news item the last couple of weeks. Now we may need to add Georgia to the list if HB 1023 moves forward as is. The bill is a state version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a federal law barring the government from substantially burdening a person’s religious exercise without a compelling interest as justification. The Baptist Joint Committee led the diverse coalition that pushed Congress to adopt RFRA in 1993, but is urging Georgia lawmakers to reject HB 1023 as it is currently written…
Written by Don ByrdThe Arizona Legislature passed a bill this evening amending its state version of RFRA. The changes seem designed to bolster the rights of individuals and businesses to refuse service to others based on religious beliefs.
The Christian Science Monitor reports…
Written by Don ByrdThe Baptist Joint Committee’s Brent Walker weighed in today on briefs filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in the contraception mandate cases. Writing for ABP, he rejects the argument raised by a lawyer for the Freedom From Religion Foundation that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the law at the heart of the contraception dispute, is unconstitutional. Walker makes the case that RFRA is a perfectly acceptable means of strengthening religious liberty guarantees.
