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Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash The Arizona state House has passed a bill that designates churches as essential during public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
HB2507, which was sponsored by the chamber’s majority leader, Ben Toma, states that “that the state government may not take any discriminatory action against a religious organization on the basis that the organization: a) is religious; b) operates or seeks to operate during a state of emergency; or c) engages in the exercise of religion as protected under the first amendment of the United States constitution,” as the Arizona Daily Independent reports.
Under Republican Governor Dough Ducey’s health orders in 2020, churches were not considered to be essential establishments and were forced to close.
The order was not rescinded until September 2021.
“With this vote, these representatives recognize that religious organizations should continue to operate during a public emergency to the same or greater extent, as other businesses or services declared essential. This vote acknowledges public officials have the authority to protect health and public safety, but the First Amendment – including the free exercise of religion – is never suspended,” the Center for Arizona safety said in response.
While the bill enjoyed bipartisan support, it did have its critics in the House. Rep. Mitzi Epstein said that whole “on the surface,” the bill seemed “like a great idea,” it could too vaguely define laws that did not apply to churches, potentially enabling businesses to violate them as well.
As the Independent noted, the lawmaker believes that “there are concerns that this bill might allow religious organizations, including corporations and their employees, to disregard all state and local laws that they claim either directly, or indirectly infringes on their religious practice.”
“So this bill is far more dangerous because it goes beyond your local church, which we all […]
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