California Proposal To Fund Mission Repair Formally Defeated In Committee

In California on Tuesday, by a vote of 2-0 the Senate Judiciary Committee formally rejected Senate Constitutional Amendment 32 that would have permitted state funding for repair of California's 21 historic missions. (Palm Springs Desert Sun.) Today's Los Angeles Times sets out the church-state arguments of committee chairman Sen. Joe Dunn-- the money would have funded churches that are used regularly for religious services. However Sen. Abel Maldonado, whose proposal would have placed the funding issue on the November ballot disagrees. He says that the missions are important parts of California's early history. He framed the proposal as a constitutional amendment because, as reported in an earlier posting, the California attorney general believes that funding would violate present provisions in the state's constitution. Earlier, Judiciary Committee staff had suggested a compromise-- specify in the amendment the maximum number of church services that may be held at historic sites that will get state funding. (Ventura County Star.)