Del. Bill Carrico reintroduced his “religious freedom” amendment to the Virginia constitution for consideration by the 2007 General Assembly.Carrico first introduced the amendment two years ago, with the goal of protecting rights of Christians to pray on public property, including schools. He acted after a Wiccan high priestess sued a town in South Carolina over a prayer that referenced Jesus Christ.

The bill passed the House in 2005, but was killed by the Senate Courts of Justice Committee.

Critics at the time said the amendment was either unnecessary or unconstitutional.

The amendment is needed to stem challenges against things like the words “under God” in the pledge of allegiance and “in God we trust” on U.S. currency, Carrico said of his renewed efforts.

“The problem we have today is the secular world believes that they don’t have to tolerate anyone’s belief in God,” he said.

Carrico, R-Fries, sees his amendment as protecting a citizen’s freedom of religious expression in public places.

He cited examples such as the case of graduating Windsor High School senior Anna Ashby being denied her wish to sing Celine Dion’s “The Prayer” at commencement exercises in 2003, because it contained a line referring to God.

Carrico’s bill, House Joint Resolution No. 724, would add new language to the Virginia’s Bill of Rights that was penned by founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

“To secure further the people’s right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience, neither the Commonwealth nor its political subdivisions shall establish any official religion, but the people’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including public schools, shall not be infringed,” the proposed amendment says.

Carrico acknowledges that freedom of religious expression is governed by the U.S. Constitution and the courts.

While an amendment to the state constitution would not change what federal courts presiding over such cases would do, he said that Virginia has a chance to be the first state to show support for similar measures that are before Congress.

He explained that he based his measure on a similar effort at the federal level.

The process for an amendment to the state constitution requires the General Assembly to approve it in successive annual legislative sessions before the question would go to voters in a statewide referendum.

The public should have the right to vote on the religious freedom amendment, Carrico said.

Two years ago, Carrico’s proposed amendment drew criticism from representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The U.S. Constitution already protects religious expression, Rebecca Glenberg told The Gazette at the time. What is prohibited is governing bodies sponsoring activities that favor a particular religion.

The Supreme Court has ruled that governing bodies may use only generic prayers, she said.

In other legislative business, Carrico has introduced:

€ a measure to remove crimes involving cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine from consideration in the first-offender deferral program in the courts.

Carrico expects that, if passed, the change will mean tougher sentences for first-time drug offenders caught dealing in cocaine, heroin and meth.

The program originated in hopes those who made a mistake in getting involved with marijuana and being arrested would learn from the experience, the delegate said. But those who get involved in harder drugs shouldn’t be allowed to benefit from the program.

€ a bill to name the Interstate 77 bridge over U.S. 58 after Vietnam veteran Charles B. Morris, who won the Medal of Honor. Morris, though wounded, led his platoon to overcome a superior force of the enemy and saved many lives by taking out enemy guns and administering medical assistance to other soldiers.

Source: Galax Gazette