Action Alert Archive
Demand Little League remove “I trust in God” from its pledge
Little League is alienating the large portion of young people who do not have a religious affiliation by requiring players on the field to recite a pledge that states "I trust in God." FFRF has been repeatedly contacted about this unnecessary pledge in the past. Now is the time to urge the president of Little League, Stephen D. Keener, to do something.
The inclusion of this line in the pledge is unrepresentative of the U.S population and completely unnecessary. Since 2007, there has been a 10 percent increase in nonreligious Americans, who are now roughly a quarter of the population.
Organizations like Little League need to stop brainwashing our children into thinking the United States is a theocracy. If you want baseball to be about fun and friendly competition instead of being divisive and coercive towards nonbelievers, contact Little League International and urge it to strike out “I trust in God” from its pledge.
Read Freedom From Religion Foundation’s full statement chiding Little League.
Email Little League through the link provided on its website and urge Stephen Keener to remove this divisive line. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
TALKING POINTS
As a nonreligious American citizen, I urge you to remove, "I trust in God" from your pledge. The use of such a line is unnecessary and excludes the nonbelieving children and parents who are a part of your organization. Keep baseball the inspiring and entertaining game it is, and leave religion out of it.
More »Pass Federal Budget without Hyde and Weldon
Please urge your U.S. representative now to stand up for secular values, science and women’s rights.
The full House floor is expected to begin voting on the federal budget next week. For the first time in 50 years, the budget does not contain the Hyde Amendment. The Weldon Amendment, passed since 2005, was also eliminated. Both of these riders severely restrict abortion care and access to millions of women throughout the United States, so we’re asking for your help to keep them out of the budget.
The religiously rooted Hyde Amendment is an annual appropriations rider banning federal funding for abortions with few exceptions. Low-income women on Medicaid (one in five women in the United States), those in the Indian Health Service Plan or the Peace Corps are essentially denied abortion care unless their state is one of the few to cover such care. The Hyde Amendment was first introduced in 1976 by the ultra-Catholic Rep. Henry J. Hyde of Illinois, whose Catholic convictions emboldened him to pass some of the most restrictive anti-abortion legislation in the country.
The Weldon Amendment is a rider that emboldens hospitals, insurance companies and health care professionals to deny women health care by refusing to provide, cover or refer abortion services based on “religious or moral grounds.”
Yet the majority of Americans (and 98.8 percent of FFRF members) believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Help ensure that abortion access and equity is free from religious interference.
Please make your voice heard! Send a message to your U.S. House representative to pass a federal spending bill without the Hyde or Weldon Amendments.
TALKING POINTS
As a secular voter, it is critical to me that you fulfill your promise to stand up for reproductive rights by voting for a federal spending budget that excludes the Hyde and Weldon Amendments. For decades, the Hyde Amendment has prevented underserved women from accessing safe abortion services, exacerbating the already grotesque inequalities that exist in U.S. health care access. Similarly, the Weldon Amendment has emboldened health care providers and insurance companies to restrict health care services due to the religious beliefs of corporate owners at the expense of the health and safety of millions of Americans. Please stand with the overwhelming number of Americans who believe abortion should be legal and vote for a federal budget without this destructive legislation. Thank you for safeguarding women’s reproductive rights.
More »Help block Va. city council’s attempt to foist ‘IGWT’ on cop cars
The Chesapeake City Council is considering a proposal tonight to put “In God We Trust” on all its police vehicles, and we need your help now to thwart this proposal.
Such moves are about advancing the Big Lie that the United States was “founded on God” or Christianity, thus dismantling the wall between religion and government. The motto “In God We Trust” is inaccurate, exclusionary, and aimed at brainwashing the country into believing that our nation is a theocracy.
And the exercise will be a waste of taxpayer money. There’ll be an estimated $81,000 in labor costs to add it to 1,500 vehicles, plus $6,000 for materials.
The Chesapeake City Council meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Eastern tonight, July 13, in the City Hall Council chamber at 306 Cedar Road. Please attend the meeting if you live in the area and make your opposition to this absurdity heard loud and clear.
“In God We Trust” was belatedly adopted as a motto when President Eisenhower signed legislation at the behest of the Knights of Columbus and other religious entities, which undertook a national lobbying campaign during the height of 1950s zealotry. The original inclusionary U.S. motto, chosen by a distinguished committee of Jefferson, Franklin and Adams, is the Latin E Pluribus Unum (From Many, [Come] One). As FFRF principal founder Anne Gaylor always pointed out, the religious motto isn't even correct: “To be accurate it would have to read ‘In God Some of Us Trust,’ and wouldn’t that be silly?”
Anne Gaylor’s remark is more apt now than ever. The number of “Nones,” those with no religious affiliation, has tripled since the 1990s, to comprise 23 percent of the U.S. population in 2020. The “Nones” have made substantial inroads in all sectors, a just-released report shows.
Please contact Chesapeake City Council members and urge them to oppose the "In God We Trust" shenanigans. Their emails and phone numbers can be found here.
TALKING POINTS
As an area resident and nonreligious citizen, I am asking you to please oppose the Chesapeake City Council resolution seeking to impose “In God We Trust” on police vehicles. It is an exclusionary motto adopted during the McCarthy era, and it would result in a waste of precious taxpayer dollars. Thank you for standing up for our secular Constitution.
More »Take Action to end child marriage in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is advancing a pair of good bills, SB 398 and HB 5378, which would increase the minimum age for marriage to 18 — with no exceptions. Please take a few moments to make your voice heard on this important issue.
More than 200,000 minors in the United States were married between 2000 and 2015. A report published earlier this year warns that the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening decades of progress toward eliminating child marriage worldwide. School closures, economic stress, service disruptions, pregnancy and parental deaths are putting an additional 10 million girls globally at risk for child marriage before the end of the decade.
According to UNICEF, minors who are married are 50 percent more likely to drop out of school. Additionally, early marriage doubles a teenager’s chances of living in poverty and triples the likelihood that he or she will be a victim of domestic violence, compared to married adults. Often, these marriages stem from antiquated and horrifying religious beliefs that compromise the safety of children, but many states still allow the practice in order to pacify powerful theocratic constituencies.
Click on the red “Take Action” link to use our automated system to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to vote yes on these bills. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Protect abortion rights in Wisconsin
Abortion rights are under attack nationwide, and that includes in our home state. Please take a few moments to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to overturn Wisconsin’s archaic statute criminalizing abortion by supporting the Abortion Rights Preservation Act.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear an appeal of a Mississippi statute that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, laying the ground for SCOTUS’ anti-choice majority to reverse Roe v. Wade and erase abortion rights nationwide. Should this happen, Wisconsin’s statute criminalizing abortion, dating back to 1849, would go into immediate effect. Physicians who perform abortions could go to prison for up to six years.
The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Health Organization, will be the first significant abortion case heard by the high court since extremist Amy Coney Barrett replaced Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett is one of the three anti-abortion justices appointed to the high court by previous President Trump, whose stated goal was to overturn Roe.
The Abortion Rights Preservation Act, AB 106/SB 75, would eliminate Wisconsin’s ancient ban and preserve abortion rights in the state, even in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned. Please use our simple, automated system to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to support this critical legislation. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most effective.
More »Urge Biden to strike anti-choice amendments from budget
Please take a few moments to urge President Biden to stand up to religious megadonors and members of Congress by excluding two amendments from the presidential budget that restrict access to abortion and family planning services.
The first, the Hyde Amendment, is a discriminatory provision that denies federal funding for abortion care, mainly for low-income women. Women on Medicaid are ineligible for receiving subsidized abortion care unless their residential state uses its own funds to pay for abortion care, which is only the case in 16 states. The Hyde Amendment disproportionally limits already underserved populations from accessing abortion services, further exacerbating health care and economic inequality.
The Hyde Amendment was introduced in 1976 by Rep. Henry J. Hyde of Illinois, a staunch Catholic who was praised by the Catholic Church for his extremist anti-abortion policies. He cited “the final judgment” and fear of “what happens to them in eternity” as his motivations for the amendment. Read “It’s time to end the Hyde Amendment” by Barbara Alvarez.
The second, the Weldon Amendment, is considered a “conscience protection” that emboldens hospitals, insurance companies and health care professionals to deny women health care by refusing to provide, cover or refer abortion care based on “religious or moral grounds.” Allowing providers to deny patients’ rights because of religious beliefs threatens access to quality, comprehensive health care.
These provisions are plainly based on dogmatic religious beliefs, and abandon the safety and autonomy of some of the most vulnerable Americans. Biden has promised to end the Hyde Amendment, but he needs to hear public support for doing so immediately. Please urge Biden to exclude the Hyde Amendment and Weldon Amendment from the presidential budget. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact the White House. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
Support HHS rule expanding access to family planning
The Department of Health and Human Services has published a new proposed rule to reverse the Trump administration’s cruel attacks on Title X, the federal program providing family planning and other health care screening to low-income patients. Please take a moment to submit a public comment to support this proposal to expand equitable, affordable family planning services.
Under pressure from religious megadonors, the Trump administration instituted the domestic gag rule, which stripped public funding under Title X from health care providers offering abortion services or information. This callous and shortsighted policy change specifically targeted Planned Parenthood clinics, endangering the health care and safety of millions of women across the country and leaving many underserved communities scrambling to find new providers or going without services entirely.
The proposal, “Ensuring Access to Equitable, Affordable, Client-Centered, Quality Family Planning Services,” will reverse the Trump gag rule, restore funding to health care providers who offer abortion services or referral, and advance public health by expanding access to health care for underserved Americans.
Read FFRF’s full comment in support of the new proposed rule.
Submit a formal comment on this to the Department of Health and Human Services proposal via the Federal Registrar. Follow the brief steps below. Feel free to copy and paste or adapt the talking points provided. The public comment period on these HHS rules is open until Monday, May 17.
- Click on the red “Take Action!” link below. You will be taken to the regulations.gov comment page.
- Click on the green button in the upper right corner that reads “Submit a Formal Comment.”
- Fill out the prompt provided.
TALKING POINTS
I strongly support the new Department of Health and Human Services proposed rule change “Ensuring Access to Equitable, Affordable, Client-Centered, Quality Family Planning Services,” which will overturn the domestic gag rule. Expanding health care access for underserved Americans is critical, including access to comprehensive family planning services and abortion services. As a secular nation, we must not allow the religious motivations of the few to dictate the health care of millions of women.
More »Oppose reinstatement of religious vaccine exemptions in Maine
The Maine Legislature is again trying to reinstate religious vaccination exemptions, putting all Mainers at risk.
Please take a few moments to contact Maine lawmakers and urge them to oppose this dangerous bill (LD 833).
These exemptions were removed in 2019, and a statewide mandate to overturn that change was resoundly defeated, showing a strong public consensus that Maine residents do not want such nonmedical exemptions.
It is critical that we counter the influence of anti-science religious zealots, whose dangerous rhetoric has caused very serious and preventable infectious disease outbreaks in numerous states across the country. Most recently, this anti-science rhetoric has fueled the spread of Covid-19. And in the case of other infection disease outbreaks, such as measles, it’s been shown that states with the most relaxed exemption laws see the highest rates of infection.
The Maine Joint Education and Cultural Affairs Committee has a hearing on this bill tomorrow, Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m. local time. Please stand against this dangerous bill that will put Mainers at risk due to the implications of other people’s religious dogma. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to vote no on LD 833. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Please support reproductive freedom bills in N.Y.
The New York Legislature is considering a host of positive bills to expand reproductive justice in your state. These bills are each a step toward humane public policy that champions reason and science over religion and dogma.
The following bills are all going to be considered at a hearing tomorrow, so please contact state lawmakers today and urge them to support these measures:
- S 399 provides additional rights to pregnant inmates. Pregnant woman will be allowed one support person in the delivery room, will be apprised of nursery programs and will be informed about pregnancy counseling and abortion services.
- S 401 will establish a women’s health education program in state and local correctional facilities. This will include informed care for women who have been victims of domestic and sexual violence and will expand medical options and services for incarcerated women.
- S 5633 enacts the “Public University Emergency Contraception Education Act.” If passed, every college and university in the state will receive informational materials and posters to be shared with students about the safety and efficacy of emergency contraception.
A critical component of undoing the Religious Right’s grip on public policy, including its prominent opposition to reproductive rights, is implementing positive measures like these that expand the rights of all people to make informed decisions about their own medical care. As secular Americans, we must champion legislation that is guided by reason, science and morality. Please take a few moments to urge your lawmakers to do the same.
The N.Y. Senate Committee on Women’s Issues has a hearing on these bills tomorrow, Wednesday, May 5, at 9:30 a.m. local time. Please use our simple, automated system to contact all members of the committee and urge them to vote yes on S 399, S 401 and S 5633. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Support conversion therapy ban in Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rico Legislature is considering a proposal to ban conversion therapy — and lawmakers need to hear your support for this bill.
The bill, PC 683, would protect LGBTQ Puerto Ricans from the barbaric, pseudoscientific religious treatment deceitfully called “conversion therapy” by restricting any licensed physician or mental health care professional in the state from engaging in the practice.
Conversion therapy is a dangerous and discredited practice aimed at altering a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity, often basing the “therapy” in religious shame and guilt. Many governmental health organizations have denounced the practice as both physically and psychologically traumatizing. Individuals who endure this so-called treatment are at a higher risk for suicide and depression. Read more.
The House Judiciary Committee will soon consider PC 683. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support PC 683. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. If you prefer to contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee in Spanish, feel free to copy and paste the translated talking points below into the message box instead of the English version. Please also share this action alert with like-minded Puerto Ricans.
PUNTOS DE CONVERSACIÓN
Como su elector, le insto a que apoye a PC 683, que prohíbe la terapia de conversión en Puerto Rico.
Se ha demostrado que la terapia de conversión es ineficaz y traumatizante física y psicológicamente para quienes se ven obligados a soportarla. Esta llamada “terapia” no solo ha sido ampliamente desacreditada en la profesión médica, sino que se ha demostrado que causa un daño significativo a quienes son sometidos a ella, incluido un mayor riesgo de depresión e intentos de suicidio.
En interés de la salud y el bienestar de los puertorriqueños LGBTQ, es imperativo que se apruebe este proyecto de ley y que los puertorriqueños proscriban esta práctica bárbara. Gracias por su tiempo.
More »
Tell Congress: We need a National Day of Reason
In the last year, we have seen a global pandemic claim the lives of more than half a million Americans, extreme weather and environmental disaster brought on by a warming planet, and unprecedented attacks on our secular democracy. Now more than ever, reason — not prayer or superstition — must guide us as we work to solve the complex challenges we face.
Please use this opportunity to remind lawmakers that reason and fact-based public policy form our only tenable path forward and join FFRF in calling on Congress to establish a National Day of Reason.
Led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, co-chair of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, a number of national legislators are championing a resolution proclaiming Friday, May 7, as an annual National Day of Reason. Other sponsors include Reps. Jared Huffman, Mark Pocan, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jerry McNerney and Pramila Jayapal, all Congressional Freethought Caucus members.
This resolution, House Resolution 357, recognizes the central importance of reason in the betterment of humanity and makes clear the practical implications of straying from evidence-based policy by reminding us that "irrationality, magical and conspiratorial thinking, and disbelief in science have undermined the national effort to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, contributing to the deaths of more than 555,000 people in the United States.”
Read FFRF’s full statement in support of the National Day of Reason.
Click on the red “Take Action” link below to use our simple, automated system to contact your U.S. representative and urge them to become a co-sponsor of the resolution calling for a National Day of Reason. If your representative is already a co-sponsor, make sure to instead thank them for their leadership. Personalized messages are always the most impactful (simply edit our automated message to place your stamp on it).
More »TAKE ACTION: Oppose anti-choice legislation in Alabama
The Alabama Legislature is considering a dangerous anti-choice bill that would greatly hinder access to comprehensive reproductive health care in the state. We need you to speak out against this extremist proposal.
The bill, HB 377, would ban medication abortion outright. Since the Food and Drug Administration approved the drugs used in medication abortions in 2000, it has become an extremely safe and effective option for women seeking to terminate a pregnancy. In 2017, medication abortions accounted for 39 percent of all abortions in the United States with a success rate of 95 to 98 percent. Risk of major complications related to medication abortions is minimal — less than 1 percent.
Anti-choice politicians continue to look for any route to restrict access to reproductive health care in an effort to inflict their religious beliefs on all citizens, even outlawing medication that has been proven safe and effective. Medical decisions like choosing abortion are between patients and their doctors and should not brook interference from dogmatic politicians. This bill codifies into law beliefs not based on science or morality, but on religion and so-called holy books. The Christian Right has been and remains the primary opponent to women’s reproductive rights.
The Alabama House Judiciary Committee has a hearing on HB 377 tomorrow, Wednesday, April 28, at 1:30 p.m. local time. Please use our simple, automated system to contact all members of this committee and urge them to vote no on this extremist measure. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most impactful.
More »TAKE ACTION: Idaho passes near-total abortion ban
An extremely strict so-called “fetal heartbeat” bill that would outlaw abortion after six weeks of pregnancy has been passed by the Idaho Legislature and will now head to Gov. Brad Little’s desk to be signed into law. Please use our simple, automated system to contact Little and urge him to reject this extremist measure.
Six-week abortion bans like this one (HB 366), also commonly misrepresented as “heartbeat bills,” are a favorite of the anti-choice Religious Right, intended to outlaw abortion after an embryonic pulse (not heartbeat) can be detected (as early as five weeks). Most women do not even know they are pregnant that early, which is, of course, the point. Read FFRF’s full statement condemning HB 366.
The bill codifies into law beliefs not based on science or morality, but on religion and so-called holy books. The Christian Right has been and remains the primary opponent to women’s reproductive rights. Indeed the “architect” of the “fetal heartbeat” bill runs an organization called “Faith2Action,” which seeks to impose a particular religious viewpoint on all citizens.
Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to email or call Little’s office and urge him to veto HB 366. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most impactful.
More »TAKE ACTION: “In God We Trust” bill has passed the Ill. House
Last month, we urged you to oppose an Illinois bill aiming to inject Christian nationalism into public schools. Despite opposition from constituents, this bill has passed the Illinois House and will now be considered by the state Senate. Please take a few moments to contact your state senator and urge them to vote no on this bill.
The bill, HB 217, would permit Illinois public schools to display “In God We Trust” on school property. This bill is part of the nationwide legislative push known as Project Blitz. Project Blitz seeks to inject state legislatures with a whole host of religious bills, imposing the theocratic version of a powerful few on We The People. It is an unvarnished attack on American secularism and civil liberties — those things we cherish most about our democracy and now must tirelessly defend.
The motto “In God We Trust” is inaccurate, exclusionary and aimed at brainwashing American schoolchildren into believing that our nation is a theocracy. Please use our simple, automated system to contact your Illinois state senators and urge them to vote no on this bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Oppose bible classes, religious displays in Missouri public schools
The Missouri Legislature is advancing a dangerous bill aiming to inject Christian nationalism into public schools in your state. Please take a few moments to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to oppose this theocratic proposal.
The bill, HB 108, would introduce bible classes into public schools and would require every school in the state to prominently display “In God We Trust” on school property.
This bill is part of the nationwide legislative push known as Project Blitz, which seeks to inject state legislatures with a whole host of religious bills, imposing the theocratic version of a powerful few on We The People. It is an unvarnished attack on American secularism and civil liberties — those things we cherish most about our democracy and now must tirelessly defend.
While politicians claim that these laws are intended to showcase the national motto, inspire patriotism or to teach the bible in the context of U.S. history, we know their true agenda is to abuse their access to young and impressionable children and indoctrinate them with religious orthodoxy.
Read more about bible classes in public schools.
HB 108 has already passed out of its House committee and will now be heard by the full House of Representatives. Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to use our automated system to call or email your representative and urge them to vote no on HB 108.
More »Urge Gov. Lee to veto anti-trans ‘bathroom bill’
The Tennessee Legislature has passed an extremist anti-LGBTQ bill that is now headed to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. Please take a few moments to read about this dangerous measure and urge Gov. Bill Lee to veto it.
The bill, HB 1233, is deceitfully titled the “Tennessee Accommodations for All Children Act.” In reality, this bill is another transgender bathroom bill — a favorite of the inflammatory Religious Right — by another name. If signed into law, this bill would allow students who don't want to share bathrooms with transgender classmates to request single-occupancy restrooms. Otherwise, if the student sees a transgender person in the bathroom, the bill would provide the student with a cause of action against the school for "psychological, emotional and physical harm suffered," plus attorneys' fees and costs.
Anti-LGBTQ legislative efforts are rooted in religious dogma. For example, the nationwide effort known as Project Blitz includes sweeping anti-LGBTQ measures while advancing the lie that America is a Christian nation, aiming to cement religiously motivated discrimination into the law. This bill, like those before it, is an attempt to perpetuate unscientific views about "biological sex" and to baselessly paint transgender students as predators.
Please use our simple, automated system to urge Gov. Bill Lee to veto this cruel proposal. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most impactful.
More »TAKE ACTION: Oppose anti-choice constitutional amendment in Alaska
The Alaska Legislature is considering a dangerous measure to undermine abortion rights and we need you to speak out against it.
The bill, SJR 4, would propose a constitutional amendment stating that “nothing in this Constitution may be construed to secure or protect a right to an abortion or require the state to fund an abortion.” This bill would ultimately make it easier for more abortion restrictions and for the state to ban abortion outright if Roe v. Wade is ever overturned, which many fear may be in the near future.
The bill begins the process of inserting into the state Constitution beliefs not based on science or morality, but on religion and so-called holy books. The Christian Right has been and remains the primary opponent to women’s reproductive rights.
The Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on SJR 4 on Friday, April 23, at 1:30 p.m. local time. Please use our simple, automated system to contact all members of the committee and urge them to vote no on SJR 4 and to prioritize the advancement of reproductive rights. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most effective!
More »
TAKE ACTION: Equalize access to menstrual products in California
The California Legislature is considering a good bill (AB 367) that would require all public schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Read more about the religious roots of menstruation stigma.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
The California Assembly of Higher Education has a hearing on AB 367 on Thursday, April 22. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Tell Texas lawmakers: Don’t favor religious interests over public health
The Texas Legislature is considering a bill that would strip state and local leaders of their ability to enact policies shown to save lives during this pandemic and future emergencies. This is in response to the unwarranted and dangerous pattern of churches insisting that they must be exempt from public health orders during emergencies.
Please urge Texas lawmakers to oppose this dangerous measure and prioritize public health and safety over well-connected special interest groups.
The bill, HB 3046, is designed to interfere with local governments’ ability to cooperate with the federal government on emergency response policies, including on policies that limit worship services. Governments already regularly limit worship gatherings that jeopardize public health. For instance, the government prohibits churches from cramming too many people into a building in violation of fire codes and also requires that church buildings comply with necessary building codes. Preventing large gatherings due to a pandemic is even more crucial. Limiting the size and scope of religious gatherings is not a ban on worship any more than speed limits are a ban on driving.
Read FFRF’s Covid state/church resources guide for more information.
The Texas House State Affairs Committee has a hearing on HB 3046 next Tuesday, April 20, at 8 a.m. local time. Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to vote no on HB 3046. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Oppose Missouri neo-voucher scheme
The Missouri Legislature is considering two bad neo-voucher bills that would divert money from public school to private, almost exclusively religious, education. Please take a few moments to tell Missouri lawmakers to oppose these damaging proposals.
These bills, HB 496 and HB 528, grant tax credits to parents who send their children to private schools. If passed, these bills mean Missouri taxpayers would be footing the bill for private school expenses. Private schools, in turn, operate without government oversight, so taxpayers will have no mechanism for holding schools accountable. Where public money goes, public accountability must follow.
Voucher schemes like the one under consideration in Missouri financially devastate public schools and would force Missouri taxpayers to fund private religious education. Lacking oversight and accountability, voucher schemes in states across the country also invariably lead to widespread fraud and mismanagement.
Read FFRF’s “The Case Against Vouchers.”
The Missouri House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee has a hearing on these bills next Tuesday, April 20, at 8 a.m. Please use our automated system to contact all members of the subcommittee and urge them to vote no on this proposal. Click on the red “Take Action” button and feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Tell Florida: Christian nationalism should not be taught in public schools!
The Florida Department of Education is proposing new curriculum standards that would indoctrinate children into the Christian nationalist view of American history. There is still time to oppose the changes.
It is crucial that Floridians oppose these new rules. The Florida Department of Education is accepting input on these proposed changes through April 23. Please tell the department to eliminate these two benchmarks from the final rules: SS.7.C.1.12 (7th grade) and SS.912.C.1.5 (9th grade). Contact information listed below.
MORE INFORMATION:
The standards would force students to recognize a fallacious, revisionist history of the United States, that “Judeo-Christian values influenced America’s founding ideals and documents.”
The problematic new proposal for 7th grade reads:
- Recognize how Judeo-Christian values influenced America’s founding ideals and documents.
- Students will analyze the degree of civic participation inherent in these civilizations.
- Students will identify Judeo-Christian values (e.g., rule of law, God-given rights, equality of mankind, limited government, separation of powers, consent of the governed) in founding documents.
- Students will recognize the influence of the Protestant work ethic on economic freedom and personal responsibility.
- Students will recognize the influence of the Ten Commandments on establishing the rule of law in America.
- Students will explain what is meant by “All men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
The proposal for the 9th grade curriculum is more compact, but basically identical: SS.912.C.1.5 Analyze the influence of Judeo-Christian values on America’s founding ideals and documents.
- Students will recognize Judeo-Christian principles of law and government in primary sources (e.g., rule of law, God-given rights, equality of mankind, limited government, separation of powers, consent of the governed) in primary sources.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Michael DiPierro, Bureau of Standards and
Instructional Support, Florida Dept. of Education
850-245-9773
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Suggested talking points:
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As a Florida voter, I urge you to eliminate SS.7.C.1.12 (7th grade) and SS.912.C.1.5 (9th grade) from the final civics and government curriculum standards.
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This is an attempt to smuggle Christian nationalism into public schools. History simply does not support this benchmark.
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“Judeo-Christian” is a contradiction in terms.
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Judeo-Christian values often opposed the values and principles that founded the United States.
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Much of this benchmark is simply wrong. For instance, separation of powers is not a Judeo-Christian value, but came from Montesquieu. We know this because the Founders said so.
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The Ten Commandments did not influence our founding documents. Which ten commandments will be taught? There are four different sets in any bible and different bibles interpret them differently. The set in Exodus 20 contain rules that thoroughly conflict with American ideals of liberty and justice.
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This claim is simply not supported by history. Instead, it is an attempt to justify an exclusionary movement in pursuit of power today, right now. That movement is called Christian nationalism.
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The desire to teach the impact of so-called “Protestant work ethic” is really a Trojan horse to propagandize Christian nationalism and economic individualism, which fuel systems of oppression, including white supremacy and unregulated capitalism.
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Christianity has been used to defend the evils of slavery, genocide, segregation and systemic inequality of all stripes. Claiming our economic systems originate in rugged individualism and “divine guidance” is a well-worn Christian propaganda device, but is not true to the secular founding of our country. This serves those attempting to hoard social and political capital very well, while brainwashing public school children about the origins of our economic system.
More information on the Florida revisions of student standards can be found here.
More »Urge your members of Congress to sponsor court expansion act
After decades of becoming increasingly politicized, homogenized and captured by special interests, our federal courts are in urgent need of reform.
The Judiciary Act of 2021, a bill introduced in the House of Representatives just this week, would add four seats to the Supreme Court, a critical step in the movement to rebalance our courts and preserve our democracy.
Please call on your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Judiciary Act of 2021.
Court expansion and reform are in order for many reasons. The court’s current makeup is dramatically ideologically imbalanced and not reflective of the American electorate. The nation’s highest court should better represent the U.S. population, not only by sex and race, but by diversity of legal background and other life experiences. This conservative majority has proven hostile to state/church separation, reproductive and LGBTQ rights and voting rights in favor of corporations and special interests.
Historically, the number of seats on the Supreme Court has been tied to the number of circuit courts in the country, of which there are now 13. Expanding the size of the bench, which has been done seven times before and does not require a constitutional amendment, is a necessary part of modernizing the court.
In order to restore balance, public legitimacy and impartiality to the Supreme Court, adding justices is an urgent starting point. Please contact your lawmakers today and urge them to support this bill and prioritize court reform at all levels. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to get connected with your members of Congress. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
Read FFRF’s full statement in support of court reform and expansion and of the Judiciary Act of 2021.
More »Take Action: N.H. lawmakers advance ‘In God We Trust’ in schools
A few weeks ago, we asked you to tell New Hampshire representatives to oppose a dangerous bill that would permit public schools in the state to display “In God We Trust” in every building.
Despite opposition, this bill has passed the House and will now be considered by the state Senate. This is our last chance to stop this exclusionary bill before it heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
This bill, HB 69, is part of the nationwide legislative push known as Project Blitz. Project Blitz seeks to inject state legislatures with a whole host of religious bills, imposing the theocratic version of a powerful few on We The People. It is an unvarnished attack on American secularism and civil liberties — those things we cherish most about our democracy and now must tirelessly defend.
While politicians claim that these laws are intended to showcase the national motto or inspire patriotism, it is clear that their true purpose is to peddle religiosity to a captive audience. These laws are about advancing the Big Lie that the United States was “founded on God” or Christianity, dismantling the wall of separation between religion and government. The motto “In God We Trust” is inaccurate, exclusionary and aimed at brainwashing American schoolchildren into believing that our nation is a theocracy.
Finally, HB 69 states that schools and school boards “shall be held harmless for complying with this section.” This will embolden schools to violate the Establishment Clause, and the state legislature cannot hold public schools “harmless” when they are brought to federal court for violating the U.S. Constitution.
Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact the members of the New Hampshire Senate Education Committee and urge them to oppose HB 69. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Tell Calif. lawmakers not to exempt religion from pandemic gathering limits
The California Legislature is considering a bill, SB 397, that would force the governor to define churches as “an essential service” and makes it virtually impossible for the state to impose health, safety or occupancy requirements on church services due to an emergency.
Please join FFRF in calling on state lawmakers to reject this dangerous bill and instead prioritize the public safety of all California residents.
Governments already regularly limit worship gatherings that jeopardize public health. For instance, the government prohibits churches from cramming too many people into a building in violation of fire codes and also requires that church buildings comply with necessary building codes. Preventing large gatherings due to a pandemic is even more crucial.
Read FFRF’s Covid state/church resources guide for more information.
This bill will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee next Tuesday, April 13, at 1:30 p.m. local time. Please click on the red “Take Action!” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose SB 397. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Oppose religious takeover of public schools in Arkansas
The Arkansas Legislature is considering two extremely dangerous bills that would inject religion into public schools in your state. Please take a few moments to contact lawmakers and urge them to vote no on these proposed measures.
The first, SB 662, would designate the last Wednesday in September as a “Day of Prayer for Arkansas Students” and requires the governor to call on citizens to pray. Public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize. Children in public schools are a captive audience. Making prayer an official part of the school day is coercive and invasive.
The second, HB 1701, would “allow creationism to be taught as a theory of how the Earth came to be” in public schools. Evolution, like gravity, is a scientific fact. Teaching creationism as scientific fact in public schools is unconstitutional, as many courts have held. Passing this bill would cost taxpayers extensively when inevitable lawsuits are filed. Teaching that there is a scientific controversy about the validity of evolution or the Big Bang is akin to teaching astrology with astronomy or alchemy beside chemistry.
If you are a parent of an Arkansas public school student and are interested in being a part of a legal challenge in the event that this unconstitutional law permitting the teaching of creationism is passed, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss the possibility with our legal team.
Each of these bills will soon be heard by the Arkansas Senate Education Committee, including a hearing on Monday, April 12, that will include SB 662. Please use our simple, automated system to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose these theocratic bills.
More »Urge Rhode Island lawmakers to squash dangerous anti-abortion bills
Anti-choice politicians have introduced an onslaught of legislation intended to outlaw abortion in your state. Please take a few moments to oppose these extremist bills and tell Rhode Island lawmakers to stop their attacks on reproductive rights.
HR 5996 establishes legal personhood once a “fetal heartbeat” is detected. Such bills are a favorite of the anti-choice Religious Right, intended to outlaw abortion after an embryonic pulse (not heartbeat) can be detected (as early as five weeks). Most women do not even know they are pregnant that early, which is, of course, the point.
HB 5865 could make abortion illegal as early as eight weeks gestation based on anti-choice pseudoscientific evidence.
HB 5582 and HB 5037 would hinder access to abortion later in pregnancy. These bills are categorically unnecessary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, late-term abortions (those after 20 weeks) accounted for just over 1 percent of abortions in 2016. Medical experts say there is no evidence that fetuses feel pain at 20 weeks, and fetuses “surviving abortion” is an event that is exceedingly rare and typically occurs when a doctor must induce labor to terminate a nonviable pregnancy.
The Rhode Island House Committee on Judiciary will consider these bills on Friday, April 9, at 2 p.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose these bills. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Equalize access to menstrual products in Vermont
The Vermont Legislature is advancing a positive bill (S. 115) that would, among other things, require all public schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Read more about the religious roots of menstruation stigma.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
This bill has already passed the state Senate and has a hearing tomorrow, April 7, at 8:30 a.m. local time in front of the Vermont House Committee on Education. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Take action: Abortion rights are on the chopping block in Texas
Anti-choice politicians have introduced an onslaught of legislation intended to outlaw abortion in your state. Please take a few moments to oppose these extremist bills and tell Texas lawmakers to stop their attacks on reproductive rights.
- HB 1280 would make abortion a criminal offense.
- HB 1515 outlaws abortion after a so-called “fetal heartbeat” is detected, before most women know they are pregnant.
- HB 2313 requires anti-abortion resources to be shared with the patient.
- HB 2337 adds more restrictions to medication abortion and prohibits abortion medication from being provided via telehealth.
- HB 3218 adds additional unnecessary provisions to abortion care.
- HB 3760 incorporates more anti-abortion measures and includes faux civil rights information.
The House Committee on Public Health has a hearing on these six bills on Wednesday, April 7, at 8 a.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose these dangerous anti-choice measures. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Urge Indiana lawmakers to squash dangerous anti-abortion bill
The Indiana Legislature is advancing a dangerous anti-science bill that threatens abortion rights in your state. Please contact your state lawmakers and urge them to oppose this egregious measure.
The bill, HB 1577, would require physicians who prescribe abortion pills to inform patients about so-called “abortion reversal procedures,” which the American Medical Association (AMA) has called “a patently false and unproven claim unsupported by scientific evidence.” One study of “abortion reversal” medication had to be stopped prematurely when 25 percent of the participants had to be rushed to the hospital due to severe vaginal bleeding. Legislating medical procedures based on this pseudoscientific dogma could have potentially deadly consequences.
Shockingly, this bill has already passed out of its state Senate committee and will next be heard by the full body. Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to call or email your senator and urge them to vote no on HB 1577. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most impactful.
More »TAKE ACTION: Abortion could soon be illegal in Arizona
The Arizona Legislature is advancing a last-minute bill that would ban nearly all abortions in Arizona. Please take a few moments to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to oppose this bill.
The bill, HB 2140, is an extremely strict so-called “fetal heartbeat” bill that would outlaw abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Six-week abortion bans, also commonly misrepresented as “heartbeat bills,” are a favorite of the anti-choice Religious Right, intended to outlaw abortion after an embryonic pulse (not heartbeat) can be detected (as early as five weeks). Most women do not even know they are pregnant that early, which is, of course, the point.
The bill codifies into law beliefs not based on science or morality, but on religion and so-called holy books. The Christian Right has been and remains the primary opponent to women’s reproductive rights. Indeed, the “architect” of the “fetal heartbeat” bill runs an organization called Faith2Action, which seeks to impose a particular religious viewpoint on all citizens.
WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:
- Please click on the red “Take Action” button below to contact your Arizona lawmakers and urge them to oppose this unconstitutional measure. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided. Personalized messages are always the most effective.
- Speak out against HB 2140 on social media.
- Write a letter to the editor to your local Arizona newspaper opposing HB 2140 to influence public opinion on this issue.
Oppose N.D. bill permitting Ten Commandments displays in schools
A North Dakota bill that would require school districts to allow Ten Commandments displays “in the school and in a classroom” is moving quickly through the Legislature, and we need your help to stop it.
SB 2308 has shockingly already passed the state Senate and will soon be voted on by the House. This is our last chance to stop this bill before it hits the governor’s desk, where it will almost certainly be signed into law.
Knowing that Ten Commandments displays in public schools violate the law, legislators are including a provision that purports to remove all liability from school districts, administrators, and board members from legal “damages” resulting from putting these displays up. This provision is misleading, as schools could still be subject to injunctions that would lead to the school paying for legal fees, and schools would still be subject to legal liability under federal law.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Ten Commandments displays in public schools violate the Establishment Clause, as their religious messages are undeniable. Additionally, FFRF prevailed against two Pennsylvania school districts that hosted Ten Commandments monuments. One district settled with the removal of the monument and more than $163,000 in attorneys fees. This law would open districts up to expensive and unnecessary legal liability. Please use our simple, automated system to contact your representative and ask that they vote no on SB 2308. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Oppose bill to expand religious privilege in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Legislature has introduced a bill that would drastically expand religious privilege in the state.
The bill, HB 440, is a state version of the federal law called RFRA, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The federal RFRA law is directly responsible for the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby debacle, allowing religious business owners to avoid following laws that they say conflict with their religious beliefs. State RFRAs, based on the federal version, are emboldening corporations and business owners to discriminate against LGBTQ people, religious minorities, the nonreligious — and any other group their religion declares inferior.
This dangerous measure has already passed out of its House committee and will now be heard by the entire New Hampshire House. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact your representative and urge them to oppose this bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Oppose Maine insurance bill favoring churches
The Maine Legislature is considering a bill that will financially favor churches. Please take a few moments to contact your lawmakers and urge them to oppose this measure.
The bill, LD 1063, would allow churches — and only churches — to self-insure their automobiles. Effectively, this would exempt select religious organizations from car insurance requirements in the state. The bill only applies to religious organizations that have “established tenets and faith-based teachings” and have existed since at least 1950. This not only economically favors religion over nonreligion, but also discriminates against newer religions.
Additionally, the bill allows the secretary of state to deny an organization’s request for this exemption if there are other “factors causing the secretary of state to believe that the religious organization and its members do not have the financial ability to pay any future judgments against them.” This effectively gives the official total control over which churches qualify for this unusual exemption.
The Maine Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services has a hearing scheduled on this bill on Thursday, April 1, at 1:30 p.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to use our automated system to contact all members of this committee and urge them to vote no on this discriminatory measure. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Oppose religiously motivated Montana constitutional amendment
The Montana Legislature is considering an anti-choice bill aimed at undermining abortion rights. Please take a few moments to oppose this bill.
The bill, HB 337, would amend your state Constitution to establish “personhood” at conception. This dubious definition is based on the dogmatic religious belief that ensoulment takes place at conception, conflating a human embryo with an “unborn child.”
The job of elected officials is to enact policies that protect and improve the well-being of their constituents, not to impose their own dogmatic religious beliefs. The only organized opposition to abortion is religious in nature, predicated on this religious concept of “ensoulment,” thereby making reproductive rights a state/church separation matter.
The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee has a scheduled hearing on this proposal tomorrow, Wednesday, March 31, at 8 a.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to use our simple, automated system to contact all members of this committee and urge them to vote no on HB 337. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Oppose two religiously motivated state constitutional amendments
The Arkansas Legislature is considering two bad amendments to your state constitution. Please contact your lawmakers now to oppose them.
- SJR 14 would enact a state version of the federal law called RFRA, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The federal RFRA law is directly responsible for the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby debacle, allowing religious business owners to avoid following laws that they claim conflict with their religious beliefs. State RFRAs, based on the federal version, are emboldening corporations and business owners to discriminate against LGBTQ people, religious minorities, the nonreligious — and any other group their religion declares inferior.
- SJR 16 would require public school teams to be designated based on “biological sex.” The impetus for this phony concern over women’s athletics comes out of fundamentalist Christian opposition to trans individuals. The marginalization of trans athletes is rooted in archaic gender stereotypes based on false and stereotyped understanding of strength, biology and gender roles. There is a long legacy of this troubling sex discrimination in athletics. These myths, of course, are closely tied to the long history of religion treating women as inherently inferior to men. Ironically, the same folks who are behind this legislation have historically treated women’s sports as second class.
The Arkansas Senate State Agencies & Governmental Committee has a hearing scheduled on these two bills tomorrow, Tuesday, March 30, at 9:30 a.m. local time. Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to use our automated system to urge all members of this committee to vote no on these two proposals. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Tell your Fla. lawmaker: No promoting prayer in public schools
The Florida Legislature is considering a bill intended to inject prayer into public schools. Please take a few moments to speak out against this theocratic measure.
The bill, SB 282, amends a part of code about studying the bible to require public schools to set aside time each morning for students to take “a moment of silence.” This bill is a thinly veiled attempt to encourage public students to engage in a scheduled prayer during school hours.
Public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize. Children in public schools are a captive audience. Making or encouraging prayer an official part of the school day is coercive, invasive and unconstitutional.
The Florida Senate Judiciary Committee has a hearing scheduled on this TODAY at 3:30 p.m. local time. Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to vote no on SB 282.
Read more about what's wrong with this type of legislation.
More »TAKE ACTION: Equalize access to menstrual products in Hawaii
The Hawaii Legislature is advancing a positive bill (HCR 178) that would require all public schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Read more about the religious roots of menstruation stigma.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
This bill has a hearing on Tuesday, March 30, in front of the House Finance Committee. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Protect abortion access in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Legislature is advancing two anti-choice bills that gravely endanger access to abortion in the state. Both bills have already passed one chamber of the Statehouse, so this may be our last chance to stop them. Please take a few moments to oppose these dangerous bills.
The first, HB 2241, is an extremely strict so-called “fetal heartbeat” bill that would outlaw abortion after six weeks of pregnancy has been introduced. Six-week abortion bans, also commonly misrepresented as “heartbeat bills,” are a favorite of the anti-choice Religious Right, intended to outlaw abortion after an embryonic pulse (not heartbeat) can be detected (as early as five weeks). Most women do not even know they are pregnant that early, which is, of course, the point.
The second, HB 1904, would establish a new requirement that any doctor performing an abortion must be board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. This is a so-called TRAP law meant to make abortion more difficult to obtain.
Legislation designed to curb access to abortion services aims to codify into law beliefs not based on science or morality, but on religion and so-called holy books. The Christian Right has been and remains the primary opponent to women’s reproductive rights.
The Oklahoma Senate Committee on Health and Human Services has a hearing scheduled on these bills on Monday, March 29, at 2 p.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to use our automated system to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose these bills. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Final call: Oppose Montana bill expanding religious privilege
A few weeks ago, we called on you to speak out against Montana’s SB 215, a bill that could drastically expand religious privilege in your state. Unfortunately, this bill has passed out of committee and will now be put up for a full House vote, its last stop before the governor’s desk.
Please take a few moments to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to vote no on SB 215. This is our last chance to make sure that SB 215 does not become law.
SB 215 is a state version of the federal law called RFRA, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The federal RFRA law is directly responsible for the U.S. Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby debacle, allowing religious business owners to avoid following laws that they say conflict with their religious beliefs. State RFRAs, based on the federal version, are emboldening corporations and business owners to discriminate against LGBTQ people, religious minorities, the nonreligious — and any other group their religion declares inferior.
Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact your representative and urge them to oppose this bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Oppose making the bible the state book of Tennessee
An unconstitutional resolution is advancing through the Tennessee House that would designate the bible the state book of Tennessee. Please take action against this unconstitutional move by zealous legislators to force Christianity upon Tennessee citizens regardless of their religious — or nonreligious — preferences.
The proposed bill, HJR0150, is both illegal and fiscally irresponsible, as it would almost certainly result in a preventable lawsuit that would cost state taxpayers dearly. A virtually identical measure was wisely vetoed by the Tennessee governor in 2015 and declared by the state’s attorney general to violate both the federal and state constitutions. At the time, the General Assembly’s Fiscal Review Committee estimated that the inevitable lawsuit could have set Tennessee back more than $100,000.
Religious faith is a matter for private conscience, not state endorsement. The bible is rife with violence, misogyny, homophobia, genocide, slavery and intolerance of nonbelievers — it has no place as the state book of Tennessee. This resolution has passed out of committee and will now likely be voted on by the entire House. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to call and/or email your representative. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Tenn. lawmakers advance anti-science vaccine exemptions
Last month, we asked you to speak out about a dangerous pair of bills that would expand religious exemptions for the Covid-19 vaccine, putting innumerable Tennesseans and Americans at risk. With your help, one of those bills failed in its House committee, but the other bill passed its committee despite opposition from voters. Now the Senate has introduced its own version of a blanket Covid-19 vaccine exemption.
The bill, SB 187, would prohibit any state or local authorities from “coercing” anyone to get the vaccine, including imposing vaccine requirements for public spaces such as schools or public buildings. When people choose not to vaccinate, it not only compromises their health, but also jeopardizes the “herd immunity” for those who cannot receive vaccinations for health reasons or because of their age. When these people are allowed to freely enter public spaces, the health and safety of untold numbers of Tennesseans is put at risk.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee has a hearing scheduled on this bill this Thursday, March 25, at 12:30 p.m. local time. Please take a few moments to contact the members of this committee and urge them to vote no on this bill. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to be connected to the committee members and feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Equalize access to menstrual products in Delaware
The Delaware Legislature is advancing a positive bill (HB 20) that would require all public and charter schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Read more about the religious roots of menstruation stigma.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
This bill has already passed the Delaware House unanimously and will next be heard on Wednesday, March 24, at 11:30 a.m. local time by the Senate Committee on Health and Social Services. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Ariz. lawmakers advance bill privileging churches over protecting public health
A few weeks ago, we urged you to speak out against HB 2648, an Arizona bill that would declare religious services “an essential service” and make it virtually impossible for the state to impose health, safety or occupancy requirements on church services due to an emergency.
This bill has advanced through both House and Senate Committees and your lawmakers need to hear your opposition to it today.
In addition to the dangerous provision involving emergency orders, this bill contains astoundingly broad language that, as written, would give churches a “get out of jail free” card for virtually any law. The bill states that the government, including courts, may not impose any “monetary fee, civil or criminal penalty, damages award, or injunction” against a religious organization in connection with the organization’s exercise of religion.
If this language were passed into law, churches that were caught covering up sexual abuse could argue that they are immune from all civil and criminal penalties, so long as they argue that their conduct was related to their religious exercise. And this is just one example — on its face the provision is so broad that it would apply to all penalties that an organization claims connected to its exercise of religion. Arizona lawmakers must be made aware that this provision was slid into HB 2648.
Please take a few moments to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to oppose this bill. Click on the red “Take Action” link below and feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Help end child marriage in New York
New York is advancing a pair of good bills, S. 3086/A. 3891, which would increase the minimum age for marriage to 18 with no exceptions. Please take a few moments to make your voice heard on this important issue.
More than 200,000 minors in the United States were married between 2000 and 2015. A new report published just last week warns that the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening decades of progress toward eliminating child marriage worldwide. School closures, economic stress, service disruptions, pregnancy and parental deaths are putting an additional 10 million girls globally at risk for child marriage before the end of the decade.
According to UNICEF, minors who are married are 50 percent more likely to drop out of school. Additionally, early marriage doubles a teenager’s chances of living in poverty and triples the likelihood that he or she will be a victim of domestic violence, compared to married adults. Often, these marriages stem from antiquated and horrifying religious beliefs that compromise the safety of children, but many states still allow the practice in order to pacify powerful theocratic constituencies.
Click on the red “Take Action” link to use our automated system to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to vote yes on these bills. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Equalize access to menstrual products in Oregon
The Oregon Legislature is considering a good bill (HB 3294) that would require all schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this positive measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Read more about the religious roots of menstruation stigma.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
This bill is being heard by the Oregon House Education Committee next Tuesday, March 16, at 1 p.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Urge Tenn. lawmakers not to exempt religion from pandemic protections
The Tennessee Legislature is advancing a bad Covid-related bill that will jeopardize public health in favor of preferential treatment for churches. Please call on state lawmakers to reject this dangerous bill and instead prioritize the public safety of all Tennessee residents.
The bill, HB 1137, prevents emergency orders from prohibiting or imposing restrictions on religious gatherings, even in the event of a deadly pandemic. If passed, this bill would strip state and local leaders of a critical tool shown to save lives by slowing the spread of this deadly virus and would give preference to religious gatherings over secular ones.
Governments already regularly limit worship gatherings that jeopardize public health. For instance, the government prohibits churches from cramming too many people into a building in violation of fire codes and also requires that church buildings comply with necessary building codes. Preventing large gatherings due to a pandemic is even more crucial. Limiting the size and scope of religious gatherings is not a ban on worship any more than speed limits are a ban on driving.
Read FFRF’s Covid state/church research guide for more information.
The Tennessee House Civil Justice Committee has a hearing on this bill on Wednesday, March 17, at 12:30 p.m. local time. Please click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of the committee and urge them to vote no on this bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Help end child marriage in Texas
The Texas Legislature is considering a good bill, HB 1590, which would increase the minimum age for marriage to 18 with no exceptions. Please take a few moments to make your voice heard on this important issue.
More than 200,000 minors in the United States were married between 2000 and 2015. A new report published just this week warns that the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening decades of progress toward eliminating child marriage worldwide. School closures, economic stress, service disruptions, pregnancy and parental deaths are putting an additional 10 million girls globally at risk for child marriage before the end of the decade.
According to UNICEF, minors who are married are 50 percent more likely to drop out of school. Additionally, early marriage doubles a teenager’s chances of living in poverty and triples the likelihood that he or she will be a victim of domestic violence, compared to married adults. Often, these marriages stem from antiquated and horrifying religious beliefs that compromise the safety of children, but many states, including Texas, still allow the practice in order to pacify powerful theocratic constituencies.
The Texas House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee has a hearing on this bill next Monday, March 15, at 10 a.m. local time. Click on the red “Take Action” link to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Abortion rights are under attack in Maryland
The Maryland Legislature is considering four extremist anti-choice bills that threaten abortion access in the state. We need you to speak out and tell legislators to oppose these thinly veiled attempts to undermine reproductive rights and freedom of conscience. The bills:
HB 1198 would require physicians who prescribe medication for abortion to tell patients about so-called “abortion reversal” procedures, which the American Medication Association (AMA) has called “a patently false and unproven claim unsupported by scientific evidence.” Legislating medical procedures based on this pseudoscientific dogma could have potentially deadly consequences.
HB 1109 would require patients to undergo a burdensome 24-hour waiting period and mandatory ultrasound before they are able to get an abortion. Because mandatory waiting periods delay abortion care, abortion procedures unnecessarily become riskier.
HB 0997 defines abortion as the “intentional killing of an unborn human being” and the definition of an “unborn human being” as “a living human zygote, embryo, or fetus, beginning the moment of fertilization.” This dubious definition is based on the dogmatic religious belief that ensoulment takes place at conception, explicitly conflating a human embryo with an “unborn child.”
HB 0846 would prohibit abortion if there is a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome. This is a favorite tactic of Christian nationalists — passing legislation that will restrict access to abortion under the guise of anti-discrimination protections. This is a smoke-and-mirrors attempt to restrict access to reproductive health care without actually increasing resources or social services for people who give birth to children with disabilities.
The Maryland Health and Government Operations Committee has a hearing scheduled on these four bills on Friday, March 19, at 1:30 p.m. local time. Please use our simple, automated system to contact all members of this committee and urge them to oppose these unnecessary anti-choice measures. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »Please oppose Iowa bill to expand religious privilege
The Iowa Legislature has introduced a new bill that would drastically expand religious privilege in the state.
The bill, SF 436, is a state version of the federal law called RFRA, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The federal RFRA law is directly responsible for the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby debacle, allowing religious business owners to avoid following laws that they claim conflict with their religious beliefs. State RFRAs, based on the federal version, are emboldening corporations and business owners to discriminate against LGBTQ people, religious minorities, the nonreligious — and any other group their religion declares inferior.
The Iowa Senate State Government Committee will soon consider this dangerous measure. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of the committee and urge them to oppose this bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
More »TAKE ACTION: Equalize access to menstrual products
The Washington Legislature is considering a good bill (HB 1273) that would require all schools to make menstrual products available to students at no cost. Please take a few moments to urge lawmakers to support this positive measure.
Much of the cultural stigma still attached to menstruation is deeply rooted in the fact that nearly all major religions have shamed this natural, life-giving function. This continues to have tangible consequences for women and girls worldwide, even in developed nations like the United States.
Lack of access to menstrual products, especially for low-income women and girls, can result in lost education and lost employment and earning opportunities, which fuels inequality in countless ways. The work of undoing the harm caused by these archaic religious customs is a secular issue. Equalizing access to menstrual products is a key first step.
This bill has passed the House and will now be heard by the Washington Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on Tuesday, March 16, at 1:30 p.m.. Click on the red “Take Action” link below to contact all members of this committee and urge them to support this important bill. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
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