Ballot Language On Missouri Free Exercise Constitutional Amendment Upheld

Last year the Missouri legislature approved placing on the November 2012 ballot a proposal that would add a laundry list of religious freedom protections to the state constitution. (See prior posting.) Earlier this week, according to AP, a state trial court judge rejected a challenge to this ballot summary language for the proposal that was prescribed by the legislature:

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure: • That the right of Missouri citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed; • That school children have the right to pray and acknowledge God voluntarily in their schools; and • That all public schools shall display the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.

The suit argued that the summary fails to mention that under the proposal students could refuse homework and prisoners could lose some religious rights.