| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A joint resolution |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to Religious Freedom Day. |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 WHEREAS, on January 16, 1786, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4written by Thomas Jefferson and championed by James Madison and served as the model for the |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5relationship between religion and government taken by the Framers of the Constitution in 1787, |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6and the First Amendment in 1789, was enacted in Virginia; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 WHEREAS, today we understand that religious freedom is a fundamental American and |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8human right. We declare that religious freedom is a cornerstone of democracy. We declare that |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9religious freedom is not a privilege for the few, but a right for all. We embrace this fundamental |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10right as one that applies to people of all religious affiliations or beliefs and people of no religious |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11affiliations or beliefs; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 WHEREAS, we recognize that the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom has equality as a |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13guiding and governing principle in declaring: "...all men shall be free to profess, and by argument |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15or affect their civil capacities." Thomas Jefferson rightly understood that religious freedom |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16encompasses "the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo, and infidel of |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17every denomination"; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18 WHEREAS, we hold that religious liberty remains essential to the health and future of our |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19democracy; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 WHEREAS, in 1992, Congress designated January 16th as Religious Freedom Day to |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21commemorate the enactment of the Virginia Statute; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22 WHEREAS, in that spirit, we recall the centrality of the Virginia Statute in shaping religious |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1.23freedom as one of the highest aspirations of the American experiment; NOW, THEREFORE, |
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| 24 | 24 | | 1 |
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| 25 | 25 | | 25-02874 as introduced01/27/25 REVISOR SGS/BM |
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| 26 | 26 | | SENATE |
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| 27 | 27 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 28 | 28 | | S.F. No. 1073NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 29 | 29 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: MARTY, McEwen, Carlson and Fateh) |
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| 30 | 30 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 31 | 31 | | Introduction and first reading02/06/2025 |
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| 32 | 32 | | Referred to State and Local Government 2.1 BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it recognizes January |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.216th as Religious Freedom Day, a day in which the legislature celebrates the diversity of Minnesotans |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.3and recognizes the right of each person to hold beliefs and practice religion according to their |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.4conscience. |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota promotes and |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.6encourages respect for all individuals regardless of their religious beliefs or affiliations or lack of |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.7such beliefs. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it will work |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.9to protect the rights of all people to practice their religion, free from interference in their beliefs, |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.10whether from government or any other institution or group. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2 |
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| 43 | 43 | | 25-02874 as introduced01/27/25 REVISOR SGS/BM |
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