Texas Government Interference with Religious Speech Amendment (2015)
| Not on Ballot |
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
The Texas Government Interference with Religious Speech Amendment was not on the November 3, 2015 ballot in Texas as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The measure, upon voter approval, would have prohibited the government from interfering with "any political speech expressed by a religious leader in a house of worship" and with "a student’s voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint at a school event or graduation ceremony."[1]
The measure was introduced into the Texas Legislature by Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-150) as House Joint Resolution 65.[2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The proposed ballot title was:[1]
| “ | The constitutional amendment relating to the prohibition of government interference with certain political speech by religious leaders and certain religious expression by students.[3] | ” |
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article 1, Texas Constitution
The proposed amendment would have amended Section 6 of Article 1 of the Texas Constitution. The following underlined text would be added by the proposed measure's approval:[1]
(a) All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship.
(b) The government of this state or a political subdivision of this state may not control or interfere with:
- (1) any political speech expressed by a religious leader in a house of worship; or
- (2) a student’s voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint at a school event or graduation ceremony.
(c) But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship.[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Texas Constitution
The proposed constitutional amendment was filed by Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-150) as House Joint Resolution 65 on January 9, 2015.[2] A two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Texas State Legislature was required to refer this amendment to the ballot. Texas is one of 16 states that require a two-thirds supermajority vote in both chambers.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Texas Legislature, "HJR No. 65," accessed January 22, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Texas Legislature, "HJR No. 65 History," accessed January 22, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content
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