Friends and neighbors,

Religious organizations in Minnesota have long had the right to hire individuals who follow the beliefs and teachings of their faith. That right came under attack by Democrats in the House of Representatives last week.

The trouble began when Democrats added the term "gender identity" to Minnesota's laws last session. The addition created uncertainty about whether religious groups could still make decisions based on their deeply held beliefs.

Republican Harry Niska of Anoka attempted to add an amendment to a bill dealing with the Human Rights Act during a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee. The amendment was straightforward: It would have ensured religious institutions could continue hiring in accordance with their faith's values and beliefs. Representatives from Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Muslim, and other religious communities came out in support of this reasonable amendment.

Given Minnesota’s long history of religious protections, Rep. Niska assumed the gender identity mix-up to be an error that could be quickly corrected. However, Democrat Rep. Jamie Becker Finn quickly told Rep. Niska that it was “not an oversight.” Democrats purposefully tried to remove protections for religious organizations that have been on the books for decades.

This is an alarming infringement on religious liberty in Minnesota. Democrats have effectively forced religious groups to adopt Democrat-approved beliefs over their own faith's doctrines. Religious freedom is under attack, and I will continue fighting to protect the constitutional rights of religious Minnesotans.

Alpha News recently had a great, lengthy roundup of everything you need to know about this subject. Read their story here: https://alphanews.org/democrats-lambast-people-of-faith-block-protections-for-religious-institutions/

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.