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GOV. HOLCOMB DEEMS CHURCHES ESSENTIAL
Republican Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed a law last week protecting the state’s churches by designating them as essential and forbidding state authorities from treating them differently than secular establishments during public health emergencies.
Sponsored by Republican state Sens. Eric Koch, Liz Brown, and Aaron Freeman, the Senate Enrolled Act 263 (SB 263) says in part that “religious organizations provide essential services that are necessary for the health and welfare of the public during a disaster emergency.” . . .
SB 263 goes on to clarify that it “does not prohibit the state or a political subdivision from requiring a religious organization to comply with a generally applicable health, safety, or occupancy requirement that is neutral towards religious organizations and equally applicable to any organization or business that provides essential services.”
“However, the state or political subdivision may not enforce any health, safety, or occupancy requirement that imposes a substantial burden on a religious service unless the state or political subdivision demonstrates that applying the burden to the religious service in this particular instance is essential to further a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest,” it added.
SB 263 passed the state House of Representatives by a vote of 74–20 and the state Senate with a vote of 36–10.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen praised the new law in Friday statement:
Houses of worship and religious organizations provide soul-sustaining operations that are essential to our society and protected by the First Amendment. While public officials have the authority and responsibility to protect public health and safety, the Supreme Court has made clear that the First Amendment ‘cannot be put away and forgotten’ even in a pandemic. This means that the government can’t treat churches worse than shopping centers, restaurants, or gyms without violating the Constitution. We commend Gov. Holcomb and the Indiana Legislature for making it clear that officials cannot use a public crisis to discriminate against religious operations.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana, on the other hand, did not offer support for the bill. . . .
Share your prayers of praise about this in the comments below!
(Excerpt from The Daily Wire. Article by Jon Brown. Photo Credit: Getty Images.)
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Comments
Thank you to these senators for bringing this law for a vote and to the governor for signing it into law.
Thank you, Governor Holcomb, and the Indiana legislature! God bless you!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.
Praise God for Gov. Holcomb!
What a breath of fresh air! What a blessing! Thank you! Thank you for giving him the wisdom and the courage to do this righteous act. Lord Jesus, we Christians in America seemed to feel safe from persecution. It came upon us as ‘a thief’ in the night. Our own government became our enemy. Weeks passed before we realized we were prisoners. One by one, our freedoms were taken from us. Slowly we began to wake up.
Confusion became our companion. Something was terribly wrong. We pastors tried to honor our leaders, yet our leaders were not honoring we pastors. The Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Guide, woke us up! We are the Watchman of our flock. We must warn them and lead them.
Thank you Governor for also being that Watchman. Thank you for standing up and doing what’s right. Thank you for protecting the people you have been chosen to serve. You are the ‘light’ shinning in the darkness. May God continue to give you wisdom and protection as you serve Him and your people.
Father-thank You for watching over us, Your remnant and allowing us to come together to worship You here in America. You alone are God and worthy of our praises amen!
Father God, let this be a boomerang effect to every state in our nation. Give our governor’s ears to hear the spirit of truth. In the Name of Jesus. We SHOUT GLORY TO GOD!