Religion & Law

Heritage Foundation: The American People Can?t Afford to Lose Wisconsin Union Showdown

Posted on February 18, 2011
Heritage Foundation Morning Bell: "Let no one be confused, the stakes in Wisconsin are high and the Badger state could turn into the crucial battle ground between progressivism and the new Tea Party majority in the country. Issues as important as public sector compensation, bulging state deficits, union power, federalism, education, federal entitlements as well as others are being fought over...

House Passes Amendment to Block Funds for Net Neutrality Order

Posted on February 18, 2011
National Journal: "The House passed an amendment Thursday that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from using any funding to implement the network-neutrality order it approved in December."

Wis. Gov. to Obama: We?re focused on balancing the budget, maybe Washington ought to do the same

Posted on February 18, 2011
The Hill: Walker said demonstrators who filled the state capitol building in Madison and the boycott by state Senate Democrats ? some of whom fled the state in protest ? have steeled the resolve of members of his party . . . Walker also fired back at President Obama, who sided with the public employees, saying on Fox News Friday, "We are focused on balancing our budget...

Maryland Senate Committee approves marriage redefinition bill

Posted on February 18, 2011
"The 7-to-4 vote by the Judicial Proceedings Committee sends the bill the Senate floor, where a lengthy and emotional debate is expected next week on the most high-profile social issue facing lawmakers during their 90-day session."

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NJ: Judge rules Beach must pay ACLU $11,000 for reciting the ?Lord?s Prayer?

Posted on February 18, 2011
Star News Group: "A Superior Court Judge has ruled that the Point Pleasant Beach Council must pay more than $11,000 for the legal fees of the American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] after that organization filed a lawsuit over the constitutionality of the borough council reciting ?The Lord?s Prayer? at the opening of municipal meetings...

Senators Introduce Sunshine in the Courtroom Act

Posted on February 18, 2011
Blog of the Legal Times: "Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) have introduced legislation to permit federal and appellate judges to allow the use of cameras in the courtroom."

Wyoming Senate passes same-sex ?marriage? bill

Posted on February 18, 2011
Billings Gazette: "The Wyoming Supreme Court is preparing to hear a same-sex divorce case involving two women who were married in Canada . . . . A group of state lawmakers, including House Speaker Ed Buchanan, R-Torrington, has filed a request to submit a friend-of-the-court brief in the state Supreme Court in support of the district judge's position...

Ireland: Group wants pledge on abortion

Posted on February 18, 2011
Irish Times: "Former independent MEPs Dana Rosemary Scallon and Kathy Sinnott and an alliance of 30 community groups have called on parties and candidates to give an election pledge not to legislate for abortion in the wake of the recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights...

Missouri Cmte Passes Bill to Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks

Posted on February 18, 2011
LifeNews: "On Wednesday, the House Health Care Policy Committee of the Missouri state House passed a bill that would ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy except if necessary to save the life of the mother." (HB 213)

NM Marriage Definition Bill Tabled by Dems

Posted on February 18, 2011
KOAT.com: "Similar bills have been filed and voted down the past few years. Many people in the audience Thursday said it would take a Republican majority in the legislature to pass them."

NAACP Leader argues Maryland marriage redefinition would help black families

Posted on February 18, 2011
The Baltimore Sun reports here.

Iowa Senate Democratic Majority Leader Gronstal blocks marriage vote

Posted on February 18, 2011
Le Mars Daily Sentinel: "Iowa Senate Majority Leader Democrat Mike Gronstal has indicated he won't allow the bill to be debated on the Senate floor. Since the Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2009, many Iowans have clamored for a vote of the people to have their say in the matter...

Del. Lawmakers to Consider Bill Legalizing Civil Unions

Posted on February 18, 2011
WBOC.com: "Delaware lawmakers are expected to introduce legislation in March that would legalize civil unions in the state. If passed, Delaware will join about a dozen other states that allow civil unions or domestic partnerships."

Texas Appeals Court Approves Registration of California Same-Sex Custody Decree

Posted on February 18, 2011
Leonard Link: "The Texas Court of Appeals (1st District - Houston) ruled on February 10 that the Harris County District Court had properly ordered the registration of a California parentage judgment involving a gay male couple who were intended parents under a gestational surrogacy agreement...

Same-Sex Couples And The Marriage Penalty

Posted on February 18, 2011
Wall Street Journal: U.S. tax and property laws are so complex that unintended consequences are common. Here is one: Thanks to a 1996 federal law aimed at preserving traditional marriage, thousands of same-sex couples in California, Nevada, and Washington state could get big tax bonuses on their federal returns starting this year...

Critics Say Kan. House Bill Discriminates On Sexual Orientation

Posted on February 18, 2011
KAKE.com: "The Alliance Defense Fund has said the legislation is needed to prevent government from forcing people to go against their religious beliefs."

FRC: The Social Conservative Review: February 17, 2010 Edition

Posted on February 18, 2011
FRC Blog: FRC?s Government Affairs department has produced a thorough summary of what?s happening across the country as courageous legislators, leaders and activists advance faith, family, and freedom in the states. (click the link for summaries)

Center for AZ Policy supported bills give voters powerful tools for judicial retention votes

Posted on February 18, 2011
SB 1482 would require the Commission on Judicial Performance Review to publish online a listing of appellate judges' decisions and an electronic copy of the decisions. Posting this information in one easily accessible place for voters would shine light on what is currently a clouded and useless process for Arizonans...

Professor Vischer on New Conscience Regs

Posted on February 18, 2011
National Catholic Reporter:  "I am delighted to present an incisive look at the new conscience regulations from Professor Robert Vischer, law professor at the University of St. Thomas Law School in Minneapolis. Vischer is also the author of Conscience and the Common Good: Reclaiming the Space Between Person and State (Cambridge Univ...

Pharma company seeks over-the-counter Plan B access for minors

Posted on February 18, 2011
LifeSiteNews: "Girls of any age could obtain the Plan B morning after pill without a prescription, if a request filed by Teva Pharmaceuticals with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is approved."

House votes to block funding for Obamacare

Posted on February 18, 2011
USA Today: "Senate Democrats, who blocked a GOP effort last month to repeal the health care law, will try to remove these provisions when the spending bill goes to their chamber after the President's Day recess. President Obama has vowed to veto the House bill, which seeks to cut at $61 billion in federal spending for this year...

Obama Admin Weakens Protections for Pro-Life Medical Workers

Posted on February 18, 2011
LifeNews: "Today, the administration rescinded part of the protections today with the Health and Human Services Department scrapping a portion of the rule, which it called ?unclear and potentially overbroad in scope.? Obama officials put a new rule in place that leaves in place protections on abortion but offers no protection for medical workers who have moral or religious objections to dispensing or giving to women the Plan B drug or other emergency contraception that could act in some cases as an abortion drug...

MA: Patrick bans discrimination against ?transgender? state workers

Posted on February 18, 2011
Boston Globe: "Governor Deval Patrick today quietly issued an executive order banning discrimination against transgender workers in state government, a move that advocates view as a first step toward passing statewide legislation."

House Overwhelmingly Votes to Scrap Plannned Parenthood Funding

Posted on February 18, 2011
ouse members approved the Pence amendment on a 240-185 vote with 9 Democrats joining most Republicans to support de-funding the abortion business. Another 7 Republicans sided with most all of the pro-abortion Democrats in the lower chamber in voting for the pro-abortion organization to receive taxpayer funds...

House rejects extra $22 billion in cuts that divided Republicans

Posted on February 18, 2011
The Hill: "The House rejected a measure cutting an additional $22 billion from the Republican spending bill, as conservatives ran into a wall of opposition from the GOP establishment over the depth of reductions to federal funding."

Pakistan: ?Christian Killed by Muslim Employer, Relatives Say?

Posted on February 17, 2011
Christian Post: Masih?s relatives believe that Cheema ? seeing the young Christian man as a ?soft target? whose family had little standing or legal recourse in the predominantly Muslim society ? killed him for taking a day off without informing him.

?American Bar Association Adopts Inclusive Anti-Bullying Resolution?

Posted on February 17, 2011
"This week the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates adopted a resolution urging ?federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local officials to prevent and remediate the existence and dangers of bullying, including cyberbullying and youth-to-youth sexual and physical harassment...

Four states granted ObamaCare waivers: FL, NJ, OH, TN

Posted on February 17, 2011
NY Times: "The Obama administration said Wednesday that it had granted broad waivers to four states allowing health insurance companies to continue offering less generous benefits than they would otherwise be required to provide this year under the new federal health care law...

PA: Local Senators back school voucher bill

Posted on February 17, 2011
Delco Times: "The first school voucher bill with a chance to become law since the Tom Ridge administration has the backing of three state senators with Delaware County constituencies. Dubbed the ?Opportunity Scholarship and Educational Improvement Tax Credit Act? ...

Texas Senate takes up sonogram rule

Posted on February 17, 2011
Houston Chronicle: "The Texas Senate hears debate on a bill that would require doctors to conduct a sonogram before performing an abortion and to describe whether the fetus has arms, legs or internal organs."

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