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Legislation

North Carolina clergy demonstrate against legislature’s new abortion limits

By Yonat Shimron — May 12, 2023
(RNS) — Their aim was to signal that not all Christians oppose abortion. A new state bill bans abortion after 12 weeks, down from the current 20.
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Push to require clergy to report abuse stalls in Mormon Utah

By Sam Metz — March 1, 2023
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Behind-the-scenes conversations between legislative leaders and what Senate President Stuart Adams said was “a broad base of religious groups” helped thwart proposals.

West Virginia ‘religious freedom’ bill headed to governor

By John Raby and Leah Willingham — March 1, 2023
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The bill is described by supporters as a tool to protect religious freedom and labeled a “license to discriminate” by LGBTQ rights advocates.

Poll: Support for abortion rights is strong, even among most religious groups

By Yonat Shimron — February 23, 2023
(RNS) — The outliers are white evangelicals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Latter-day Saints and Hispanic Protestants.

Progressive US Jews rally in solidarity with Israeli protesters

By Yonat Shimron — February 21, 2023
(RNS) — Outrage over Israel’s government and its anti-democratic leanings have provoked strong reactions among U.S. Jews.

Should clergy be mandated reporters? New York’s CARE Act says yes

By Kathryn Post — February 1, 2023
(RNS) — ‘Because pastors do not report abuse, it allows abusers to keep on preying on vulnerable individuals,’ said advocate Abbi Nye.

At the signing of the marriage act, these two gay Christian men took the next step

By Yonat Shimron — December 30, 2022
(RNS) — Rod Snyder and Alex Orton are among thousands of LGBTQ Christians fighting for the acceptance they were denied by their families, churches and schools.

With the Afghan Adjustment Act on life support, refugee agencies pray for a miracle

By Yonat Shimron — December 20, 2022
(RNS) — Unless a floor amendment gains traction in Congress, some 76,000 Afghans who were airlifted out of Afghanistan before the U.S. withdrawal may lose their legal status in 2023.

Indiana abortion ban challenged under religious freedom law

By Tom Davies — September 9, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A lawsuit filed on Thursday by the ACLU of Indiana argues that the abortion ban set to take effect next week violates a state religious-freedom law that was approved by Republican lawmakers in 2015.

Religious schools shun state funding despite Maine victory

By David Sharp — August 30, 2022
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Only one of the Maine religious high schools that stood to benefit from the most recent Supreme Court ruling on state tuition reimbursements has signed up to participate this fall.

Protesters demand Utah require clergy to report sex abuse

By Sam Metz — August 22, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Protestors, including religious leaders and survivors, gathered at the Utah State Capitol on Friday to rally against a state law that exempts Mormon leaders from being required to report child sexual abuse brought to their attention in church confessionals.

Clergy, social workers fear fallout from Okla. abortion laws

By Sean Murphy — August 15, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Clergy members, social workers and even librarians have raised concerns about being exposed to criminal or civil liability for just discussing the topic.

New Zealand river’s personhood status offers hope to Māori

By Nick Perry — August 15, 2022
WHANGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — Whanganui Māori have a saying: Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au: I am the river, and the river is me.
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