Republican North Carolina state legislators have proposed allowing an official state religion in a measure that would declare the state exempt from the Constitution and court rulings.
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The bill, filed Monday by two GOP lawmakers from Rowan County and[/FONT]
backed by nine other Republicans[FONT=Georgia, Century, Times, serif]
, says each state "is sovereign" and courts cannot block a state "from making laws respecting an establishment of religion." The legislation was [/FONT]
filed in response to a lawsuit [FONT=Georgia, Century, Times, serif]
to stop county commissioners in Rowan County from opening meetings with a Christian prayer, [/FONT]
wral.com reported[FONT=Georgia, Century, Times, serif]
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The bill says the First Amendment only applies to the federal government and does not stop state governments, local governments and school districts from adopting measures that defy the Constitution. The legislation also says that the Tenth Amendment, which says powers not reserved for the federal government belong to the states, prohibits court rulings that would seek to apply the First Amendment to state and local officials.
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