First Amendment

New Jersey churches lose preservation grant case

First Amendment | State’s high court rules against funding applications because they allow churches to continue holding religious services

by Bonnie Pritchett
Posted 4/24/18, 03:58 pm

A unanimous New Jersey Supreme Court ruled last week that churches should not have access to county historic preservation grants.

Attorneys for a dozen New Jersey churches, all previous grant recipients, are considering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Protecting Oklahoma’s Christian adoption agencies

First Amendment | A bill allowing religious groups to operate freely faces an uncertain future in the deeply conservative state

by Bonnie Pritchett
Posted 4/17/18, 02:54 pm

Oklahoma state lawmakers last week crippled a bill providing legal protection for religious adoption and foster care agencies that do not place children with same-sex couples. State Rep. Travis Dunlap, a Republican who co-authored the bill, hopes to scrub the unexpected changes before sending the measure to Gov. Mary Fallin, also a Republican. If Dunlap fails, the state likely will lose Christian agencies and churches that have played an integral role in reforming the state’s troubled foster care system.

Whose money talks?

First Amendment | New report issues state free speech rankings based on political contribution laws

by Bonnie Pritchett
Posted 4/03/18, 02:00 pm

What political attributes do deep-red Alabama and deep-blue Oregon have in common?

Both states permit unlimited political campaign contributions by individuals, political parties, and political action committees (PACs). So do Nebraska, Utah, and Virginia. All five states share the top ranking in a first-of-its kind report by the Institute for Free Speech (IFS).

The danger of teaching critical thinking

First Amendment | A teacher who asked tough questions about walkouts is suspended, but one student takes her challenge seriously

Bonnie Pritchett | 3/27/18, 03:06 pm

Brandon Gillespie, a junior at Rocklin High School in northern California, put his history teacher’s theory to the test last week. He asked his school’s principal if school administrators would provide the same accommodations for a pro-life demonstration as they did for a March 14 anti–gun violence student walkout.

Alaska women’s center fends off man’s bias claim

First Amendment | Complaint comes as Anchorage voters consider rolling back gender identity ordinance

Bonnie Pritchett | 3/20/18, 03:58 pm

Advocates for Proposition 1, a ballot initiative to rescind part of an Anchorage, Alaska, nondiscrimination law, benefitted last week from an ad campaign money couldn’t buy. As ballots began arriving in mailboxes for the April 3 election, news broke that a man who identifies as a woman filed a complaint with the city because a local shelter for women refused him access.

Wheaton wins one for religious nonprofits

First Amendment | The Christian college’s victory could set a precedent for others still fighting Obamacare’s contraceptive and abortifacient mandate

Bonnie Pritchett | 2/27/18, 03:39 pm

Wheaton College has secured what even the Little Sisters of the Poor has not: A permanent injunction against the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive and abortifacient mandate. After five years of legal wrangling, a U.S. district court judge’s Feb. 22 ruling finally freed the college from the federal regulation.

Illinois nurse fights firing over pro-life views

First Amendment | Case illustrates the importance of conscience protections for healthcare providers

Bonnie Pritchett | 2/20/18, 04:53 pm

A nurse in Illinois forced from her job in 2015 for her pro-life convictions can move forward with her lawsuit against the Winnebago County Health Department, a judge ruled last week. The case highlights the ongoing challenges Christian medical providers face amid eroding conscience protections and the importance of having state laws to protect them.

California judge backs Christian baker’s conscience rights

First Amendment | Forcing business owners to participate in same-sex weddings ‘does violence’ to free speech protections, judge rules

Bonnie Pritchett | 2/13/18, 03:15 pm

A California judge has denied a state agency’s request to punish a baker who declined to make a cake for a lesbian couple’s wedding reception, delivering a rare win for a Christian business owner caught in the culture war crossfire.

Federal court blocks Kansas anti-boycott law

First Amendment | Judge rules bill shielding Israeli businesses from discrimination violates constitutional free speech protections

Bonnie Pritchett | 2/06/18, 03:37 pm

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Kansas law requiring state contractors to certify they are not participating in any boycotts against Israel. U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree said the Kansas law, enacted in July, stymies protected political speech.

Synagogue fights quiet but vital religious liberty battle

First Amendment | Legal experts say local land use fights highlight the ongoing struggle religious groups face in an increasingly secular culture

Bonnie Pritchett | 1/30/18, 03:54 pm

Land use activists normally reserve the “not in my backyard” declaration for halting the incursion of the most odious bad neighbors, like landfills, ostensibly in defense of property values or neighborhood safety. But what excuse do residents of Boca Raton, Fla., have for filing lawsuits to prohibit the construction of a Jewish synagogue?

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