MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Republicans are attempting once more to dam authorities companies from closing church buildings throughout emergencies, this time with a constitutional modification.
The proposed modification from Sen. Cory Tomczyk and Rep. Ty Bodden would bar any state or native authorities company or subdivision from closing or limiting gatherings in locations of worship in response to a nationwide, state or native emergency, together with public well being emergencies. Quite a few different states have handed comparable laws, together with Arizona, Florida, North Dakota and South Carolina.
“Places of worship for Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, or any other practicing religions should not be closed by any level of government at any time; doing so interferes with religious practice and undermines the foundation of our state and nation,” Bodden and different Assembly Republicans wrote in a May memo looking for co-sponsors for the modification.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order because the COVID-19 pandemic took maintain in 2020 pressured nonessential companies to close down and restricted the scale of indoor gatherings, together with worship companies. Republicans persuaded a conservative-leaning state Supreme Court to strike down the order, however they need to guarantee no officers can ever restrict spiritual gatherings once more.
The GOP pushed a invoice to Evers’ desk in 2021 that may have barred authorities officers from closing or proscribing entry to church buildings in the course of the pandemic however the governor vetoed it. Republicans launched an analogous invoice final 12 months but it surely didn’t go both the Senate or the Assembly. Evers nearly actually would have vetoed the measure anyway.
Republicans can do an end-run round Evers with a constitutional modification, nonetheless. Such amendments should go two consecutive legislative classes and a statewide referendum to take impact. The governor performs no function within the course of.
The Senate Committee on Licensing, Constitution and Federalism was set to carry a public listening to on the modification Tuesday. The listening to clears the way in which for a committee vote on whether or not to go the proposal on to the total Senate for a flooring vote.
Senate approval would ship the measure to the Assembly. Approval there would hold the modification alive till the 2025-26 legislative session, when the method would begin over once more. Passage throughout that session would set off a statewide vote.
Anti-abortion teams Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Family Action have registered in help of the modification, based on the state Ethics Commission. The Wisconsin Catholic Conference has registered as impartial on the proposal. No teams have registered in opposition.
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This story has been corrected to indicate that no teams have registered in opposition, reasonably than in help.
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