On May 29, the California State Assembly passed the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2012 by a vote of 63-6. AB 1964 is now on its way to the Senate.
Category: Legislation
Key California Committee Passes Workplace Religious Freedom Act
Photo Credit www.istockphoto.com/ Amelia Johnson [dc]I[/dc]n August 2010, Noor Abdallah, a Muslim woman who worked as a hostess at Disneyland’s Grand Californian hotel complained that Disney had refused to allow her to wear her hijab, or headscarf, which she wore as a sign of modesty in front of her customers. Disney, which had been working…
Proposed Missouri gun law expanding concealed carry to churches violates religious liberty, say clergy
Clergy in Missouri are objecting to legislationthat would remove the requirement that individual Concealed Carry Weapon permits first obtain the permission from their pastor before carrying concealed weapons in church and require signage if churches do not permit concealed carry.
Why Do Gingrich and Obama Agree on the Supreme Court?
Last week, after three days of tough argument before the Supreme Court, the President created a stir when he said that it would be “unprecedented” for the Supreme Court to overturn his national healthcare plan. Obama further questioned the legitimacy of “unelected” and “activist” judges. Conservatives went crazy! How could the President criticize the authority…
BILL TRACKER: Congress Votes to Reauthorize US Commission on International Religious Freedom
H.R. 2867: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011 is now on President Obama’s desk. There had been some concern that the USCIRF may not have been approved by the Senate. Bookmark this page to track the latest developments. The funding and function of USCIRF was the subject of…
New York City ‘Workplace Religious Freedom Act’ Clarifies Religious Accommodation Requirements for Employers
On August 30, 2011, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the “Workplace Religious Freedom Act” (Int. 632-A) into law clarifying what requirements employers are required to meet to demonstrate that they have done all that is necessary to make a reasonable attempt to accommodate the bona fide religious needs of employees. Under pre-existing law,…
North Dakota Catholic Conference says ‘Sunday law’ Benefits All People (EWTN News)
NOTE: This is in reference to a law that has been on the books in North Dakota for many years. In the past, it banned business all on Sunday. In 1991, the law was changed to restrict business only until noon on Sunday. This is not a “new” Sunday blue law. This article is interesting…
Religious Groups Object to Covering Birth Control (Fox News)
EXCERPT: They defied the bishops to support President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. Now Catholic hospitals are dismayed the law may force them to cover birth control free of charge to their employees. A provision in the law expanded preventive health-care benefits for women, and the administration said last week that must include birth control…
Alabama Immigration Law Questioned by Catholic Archbishop
EXCERPT: The bishops of Alabama have joined with local Episcopal Church and Methodist officials in taking legal action against immigration legislation scheduled to come into effect on September 1. The law makes it illegal to “encourage or induce an alien to come to or reside in this state if the person knows or recklessly disregards…
The Church as a Bride of Caesar (National Review)
While we have tracked the emergence of the religious right in America, Fr. Robert Sirico writes in the National Review about the political power of part of the religious left which he describes as “a hyper-political movement that offers up the moral authority of churches and aid organizations to advance the ends of the Obama administration and its allies in Congress.”