The supermajority/Freedom Caucus is creating a state religion in Montana—Christianity—despite that our Constitution prohibits doing that. Article II, section 5 states: “Freedom of Religion. The state shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Sadly, for this Legislature, “no law” doesn’t mean what it says.
Cases in point: House Bill 744, which would allow students and teachers to openly discuss religious beliefs; House Bill 745, which deals with religious texts and prayer in schools; and House Bill 502, which clarifies earlier legislation requiring parental notification of sex ed materials, all passed the House on mostly party-line votes, with Republicans for and Democrats against.
And then there’s Senate Bill 450: the Personal Freedom/Right of Conscience Act, provides that state agencies, local governments, licensed businesses, and schools must accept “without question” a “conscience exemption” for immunizations for purposes of employment or school attendance, and failure to do so constitutes illegal discrimination.
