Bill Text: TX SJR49 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to a person's freedom of religion.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-18 - Referred to State Affairs [SJR49 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SJR49-Introduced.html
| By: Paxton | S.J.R. No. 49 | |
|
|
||
| proposing a constitutional amendment relating to a person's freedom | ||
| of religion. | ||
| BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 6, Article I, Texas Constitution, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 6. (a) All men have a natural and indefeasible right | ||
| to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own | ||
| consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support | ||
| any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his | ||
| consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control | ||
| or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, | ||
| and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious | ||
| society or mode of worship. | ||
| (b) Government may not burden a person's or religious | ||
| organization's Freedom of Religion. The right to act or refuse to | ||
| act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief may | ||
| not be burdened unless the government proves it has a compelling | ||
| governmental interest in infringing the specific act or refusal to | ||
| act and has used the least restrictive means to further that | ||
| interest. A burden includes indirect burdens such as withholding | ||
| benefits, assessing penalties, or an exclusion from programs or | ||
| access to facilities. | ||
| (c) But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such | ||
| laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious | ||
| denomination in the peacable enjoyment of its own mode of public | ||
| worship. | ||
| SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be | ||
| submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013. | ||
| The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the | ||
| proposition: " The constitutional amendment relating to a person's | ||
| freedom of religion. | ||
