• Home
    • Press Releases
    • Religious Freedom Minute
  • About Us
    • Attorney Bios >
      • Brad Dacus - President
      • Kevin Snider - Chief Counsel
      • Matthew McReynolds - Staff Attorney
      • Michael Peffer - Director and Senior Counsel
      • Ray Hacke - Staff Attorney
      • Jorge Ramos – Staff Attorney
    • Questions And Answers
    • Contact Us
  • Testimonials
  • Get Help
    • Request Legal Assistance
    • Find An Affiliate Attorney
    • For Parents >
      • Notice of Reasonable Expectation of Privacy
      • Public School Opt-Out Forms
      • Sex-Ed Parental Rights (CA)
      • What Every Parent Needs to Know About LGBT History
      • When CPS Calls
    • Language For Bylaws And Model Marriage Policy
    • Union Dues Objectors
    • Kavanaugh Profile
    • Books And Brochures >
      • Faith in the Workplace
      • Reclaim Your School
      • The Church and Politics
      • Public Education Religious Rights (CA)
      • Public Education Religious Rights (IL)
      • CPS 12 Steps
      • The Constitution on Campus
      • 7 Takeaways from the Supreme Court's Bakery Case
      • Public Evangelism Q&A
      • Christmas Q&A
  • Radio
    • Legal Edge
    • The Dacus Report
  • Give
    • Donate
    • Become An Affiliate Attorney
    • Intern/Volunteer
Pacific Justice Institute

As Legislature Returns, Will It Defy Supreme Court?

8/7/2018

 
Sacramento, CA--The California Legislature returned to the Capitol Monday for the final few weeks of its annual session.  One of the big questions remaining is whether lawmakers will ignore a stinging rebuke from the U.S. Supreme Court. 
 
At issue is a bill now pending on the floor of the Senate known as Assembly Bill 2943.  It seeks to declare that counseling which assists adults in rejecting same-sex attraction is a fraudulent and deceptive practice.  Faith communities have been alarmed by the bill because it could limit how they counsel congregants to live consistently with their faith and church teachings on sexuality.  ​
Since the Assembly voted in June to approve the bill and sent it over to the Senate, a major Supreme Court decision has thrown the future of the legislation into doubt.  Until now, proponents of AB 2943 have relied on a Ninth Circuit decision upholding a predecessor ban on counseling for minors.  But in late June, in a case striking down California’s attempts to compel pro-life pregnancy clinics to promote abortion, the U.S. Supreme Court also disapproved the Ninth Circuit’s reasoning in the counseling case.  In one of his last opinions, Sacramento’s native son Justice Kennedy concurred with an unusually sharp rebuke of the California Legislature for ignoring First Amendment rights.
 
So far, lawmakers have largely shrugged off the Supreme Court rebuke and seemed poised to move ahead even though it would likely be declared unconstitutional.
 
Pacific Justice Institute challenged the earlier counseling statute, SB 1172, in court for five years before ultimately seeing it repudiated in June.  PJI has also testified against AB 2943.  Brad Dacus, president of PJI, commented, “The California Legislature has done a lot over the last several years to ignore free speech and religious freedom.  But I can’t remember a time when they have been on the verge of directly defying the Supreme Court.  Ultimately, the taxpayers will lose as the State will expend significant resources to defend this indefensible measure in court.  We certainly hope that reasonable minds prevail and AB 2943 is withdrawn.  But it continues to be vital for citizens to contact their elected legislators and express how they feel about important measures like this.” 
 
The California Senate could vote as soon as this week on AB 2943.  If approved, it would be sent back to the Assembly for another vote on amendments that have been added to it before going to Gov. Jerry Brown.

Comments are closed.

    Subscribe:

    "Like" Us:

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008

    Categories

    All
    Civil Liberties
    Parental Rights
    Religious Freedom

    RSS Feed

Stay Connected! "Like" our Facebook page:

The information provided on this website is not legal advice and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is implied by use of this site.  Because of the unique nature arising from legal matters, individual review by a knowledgeable attorney should be sought.  
PJI.org Privacy Policy
©2016 Pacific Justice Institute - P.O. Box 276600 Sacramento, CA 95827-6600 - (916) 857-6900

Español | Pусский | 한국어  | 中文