Amish Object To NY Town's Proposal That Builders Have Insurance

In Locke, New York, town officials are considering an ordinance that would require contractors seeking building permits to demonstrate proof that they have liability insurance to protect against homeowners from being sued when a worker is injured on the job. However, according to yesterday's Syracuse Post-Standard, the proposal is raising objections from Amish families who have recently moved to the area and whose religious beliefs preclude their acquiring insurance. Last week's Post-Standard carried a long article on the tensions that have arisen as eleven Old Order Amish families have moved to areas in Cayuga County, New York. Locke had already been insisting contractors seeking building permits have insurance when it was discovered that there was no legal basis for the requirement. Locke also requires proof that contractors have worker's compensation, a requirement that Amish likewise reject.