Lindley Questions Faith-Based Initiative Law
State Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City, has written Attorney General Drew Edmondson asking for an opinion on the constitutionality of a bill passed during the 2007 Legislative Session.
“The law blatantly crosses the line between church and State,” said Lindley. “I believe it is unconstitutional and violates the very freedoms our Founding Fathers gave to us when they drafted the Oklahoma Constitution.”
House Bill 2101 by Speaker Lance Cargill, R- Harrah, which was passed and signed into law during the 2007 Session, appropriates taxpayer dollars to the Office of Faith Based Initiatives. The OFBI was created in 2000 and operates under the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Article II, Section5 of the Oklahoma Constitution states, “No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.”
“The problem with this law is that the government is going to select which religious groups are going to receive State funding," Lindley said. "This bill is an attempt to cross that perilous constitutional line between the separation of church and State.” Responding to Lindley's questions, Cargill said, “Unfortunately, it's no surprise that liberals would oppose good reform. For years, liberals have been trying to push faith out of the public square. Faith-based programs in prisons work, and these faith-based groups should have the same access as everyone else. This legislation will help turn more lives around and keep people from returning to prison. “Furthermore, Representative Lindley has no credibility on fiscal matters. When his party controlled state government, they grew government. We cut it, plain and simple."
“The law blatantly crosses the line between church and State,” said Lindley. “I believe it is unconstitutional and violates the very freedoms our Founding Fathers gave to us when they drafted the Oklahoma Constitution.”
House Bill 2101 by Speaker Lance Cargill, R- Harrah, which was passed and signed into law during the 2007 Session, appropriates taxpayer dollars to the Office of Faith Based Initiatives. The OFBI was created in 2000 and operates under the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Article II, Section5 of the Oklahoma Constitution states, “No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.”
“The problem with this law is that the government is going to select which religious groups are going to receive State funding," Lindley said. "This bill is an attempt to cross that perilous constitutional line between the separation of church and State.” Responding to Lindley's questions, Cargill said, “Unfortunately, it's no surprise that liberals would oppose good reform. For years, liberals have been trying to push faith out of the public square. Faith-based programs in prisons work, and these faith-based groups should have the same access as everyone else. This legislation will help turn more lives around and keep people from returning to prison. “Furthermore, Representative Lindley has no credibility on fiscal matters. When his party controlled state government, they grew government. We cut it, plain and simple."
Labels: Al Lindley, Faith-Based Initiative, Lance Cargill
posted by Mike McCarville @ 12:18 PM
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