HCS HB 2110 -- DISPLAY OF DOCUMENTS WITH RELIGIOUS CONTENT

SPONSOR:  Jones, 89 (Dixon)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
General Laws by a vote of 6 to 0.

This substitute prohibits any governing authority, board,
commission, personnel of any political subdivision, any elected
or appointed official, or an employee of the state from
preventing the display of the founding documents of the United
States or the State of Missouri regardless of whether the
documents contain religious content.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill is necessary to protect
a government's right to place historically relevant and
historically important texts or relics that document the founding
of our nation and state despite the fact that they may contain
references to a Deity, religious laws, religious practices, or
religious observances.  The bill does not authorize any displays
of founding documents inconsistent with the United States Supreme
Court's opinions in Van Orden vs. Perry, 545 US 677 (2005) and
McCreary County vs. American Civil Liberties Union of Ky., 545 US
844 (2005).

Testifying for the bill were Representative Dixon; and Dee
Wampler.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say that local governments
cannot prohibit the placement of monuments, relics, or texts that
are founding documents.  The bill should also apply to state
government buildings and properties and state appointed or
elected officials.

Testifying on the bill was Missouri Municipal League.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm