1 min read

House Committee Reviews Religious Freedom Court Standard

Associated Press0

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A House committee is considering whether to approve a measure to create state-level standard for courts to consider whether the government has infringed upon a South Dakotan’s freedom of religious expression.

The House State Affairs Committee on Friday reviewed the plan, which the Department of Corrections and Board of Regents opposed.

Republican Rep. Scott Craig of Rapid City says his proposal puts in places a standard that matches federal law for courts considering claims that the government has infringed upon a person’s ability to practice their religious beliefs.

Opponents argue that the proposal is poorly written and overly broad. They say it would put a significant burden on state and local governments to defend against claims of religious infringement at the expense of taxpayers.

The committee will likely vote on the plan next week.

The AP is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, as a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members, it can maintain its single-minded focus on newsgathering and its commitment to the highest standards of objective, accurate journalism.
Website http://ap.org/

Related Posts