| 1 | 1 | | 84R1348 SCL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Campbell S.J.R. No. 10 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment relating to an individual's or |
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| 7 | 7 | | religious organization's freedom of religion. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 6, Article I, Texas Constitution, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 6. (a) All men have a natural and indefeasible right |
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| 12 | 12 | | to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own |
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| 13 | 13 | | consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support |
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| 14 | 14 | | any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his |
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| 15 | 15 | | consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control |
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| 16 | 16 | | or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, |
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| 17 | 17 | | and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious |
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| 18 | 18 | | society or mode of worship. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) Government may not burden an individual's or religious |
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| 20 | 20 | | organization's freedom of religion or right to act or refuse to act |
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| 21 | 21 | | in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief unless |
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| 22 | 22 | | the government proves that the burden is in furtherance of a |
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| 23 | 23 | | compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means |
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| 24 | 24 | | of furthering that interest. For purposes of this subsection, the |
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| 25 | 25 | | term "burden" includes indirect burdens such as withholding |
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| 26 | 26 | | benefits, assessing penalties, and denying access to facilities or |
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| 27 | 27 | | programs. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such |
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| 29 | 29 | | laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious |
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| 30 | 30 | | denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public |
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| 31 | 31 | | worship. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 33 | 33 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015. |
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| 34 | 34 | | The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the |
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| 35 | 35 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment relating to an |
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| 36 | 36 | | individual's or religious organization's freedom of religion." |
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