ADF Alliance Alert

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4526

ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND NEWS RELEASE
May 22, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom

S.C. General Assembly passes bill
on prayer before public meetings

Bill based on ADF model invocations policy passed both houses unanimously,
now awaits signature from Gov. Mark Sanford

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina General Assembly unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that provides guidelines to public bodies within the state regarding their right to open a meeting with prayer. The bill, which adopts a version of the Alliance Defense Fund’s model invocation policy, now awaits a signature from Gov. Mark Sanford to become law. Sanford has already indicated his intention to sign it.

“A prayer before public meetings is one of our oldest and most cherished American traditions, and it is sad that some radical secularist groups are trying to eliminate the practice,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Mike Johnson. “The South Carolina General Assembly is providing strong affirmation and clear guidelines to public bodies statewide to continue the important tradition of voluntary public invocations. This is an overwhelming legislative victory for First Amendment rights.”

The popular bill was co-sponsored by 26 of the 46-member state senate, and passed both houses of the General Assembly with a unanimous voice vote. The Palmetto Family Council was instrumental in encouraging the bill’s introduction and passage.

The bill would amend current law by adding a section enacting the “South Carolina Public Invocation Act.” It would allow a state or local governing body to adopt a policy preserving the tradition of opening a public meeting with prayer by using one of three constitutional methods. The act also includes guidelines on how invocation speakers may legally be chosen.

Additionally, any public body facing a legal challenge because of its reliance on the act would be defended by the state’s attorney general. ADF has offered pro bono defense in any litigation as well.

Last fall, ADF sent information letters and its model prayer policies to 22,000 governmental bodies offering free legal assistance to those facing threats from the American Civil Liberties Union or any of its allies (www.telladf.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4195). The model policies have been adopted by numerous public bodies nationwide in an effort to counter attacks from the radical secularist groups.

The text of the South Carolina bill is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/SCLegislation.pdf.

ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith. Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.

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