Having To Protect What We Once Had: Texas Passes Amendments For Religious...

[G.L.R.]

Texans Pass 8 Amendments to State Constitution, Including One That Strengthens Religious Freedom

November 6, 2021

Texans hit the polls earlier in the week to pass all eight proposed amendments to the state constitution,  including one that curtails the ability of government to restrict  religious services, also during emergencies like pandemics... The Texas Secretary of State has announced unofficial results of the vote, which took place on Nov. 2 and was  required to approve the amendments, which were earlier passed as bills  during the legislative session. Two of the propositions were created  explicitly in response to COVID-19 restrictions. Proposition 3, which won the backing of 62.4 percent of voters, amends Article 1 of the Texas Constitution by adding a new section  preventing the state, or any political subdivision of the state, from  enacting any laws that prohibit or limit religious services, including  ones conducted in churches...

Some backers of Proposition 3 argued that places of worship provided essential services and, as such, should be exempt from pandemic-related closures, like grocery stores. "When the restrictions were put on the church, it crossed the line  from what we could do, which was buy groceries, and what we couldn't do,  which was worship as we want to worship," state Sen. Donna Campbell, a  Republican... "Churches provide essential spiritual, mental, and physical support  in a time of crisis. Closing churches not only eliminated these critical  ministries and services, but it violated their religious freedom, guaranteed by our laws and Constitution," said state Rep. Scott Sanford, a Republican...  The measure passed, with 88 percent voting for it...

Texans Pass 8 Amendments to State Constitution, Including One That Strengthens Religious Freedom
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/texans-pass-8-amendments-to-state-constitution-including-one-that-strengthens-religious-freedom_4089728.html