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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1077
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR SCHNELTING.
4946S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 1, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to religious liberty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 1, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 1.810, to read as 2
follows:3
1.810. 1. This section shall be known and may be 1
cited as the "Missouri Religious Liberty Act". 2
2. (1) The general assembly hereby: 3
(a) Finds and declares that religious liberty is among 4
the most sacred rights recognized by the founders of this 5
nation, and that freedom of conscience and worship are 6
fundamental to the preservation of civil society; 7
(b) Finds and declares that the government of the 8
United States was established with the understanding that no 9
power of civil authority should ever be exercised to limit 10
or prohibit the free exercise of religion, or to close or 11
restrict houses of worship; 12
(c) Affirms the words of President George Washington: 13
"If I could now conceive that the general government might 14
ever be so administered as to render the liberty of 15
conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded that no one 16
would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual 17
barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every 18
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species of religious persecution". Letter from George 19
Washington, President of the United States, to the United 20
Baptist Churches of Virginia (May 1789) (Founders Online, 21
National Archives); 22
(d) Affirms the words of President George Washington: 23
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political 24
prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable 25
supports". George Washington, President of the United 26
States, Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the 27
United States (September 19, 1796); and 28
(e) Affirms the words of President John Adams: "Our 29
Constitution was made only for a moral and religious 30
people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any 31
other". Letter from John Adams, President of the United 32
States, to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third 33
Division of the Militia of Massachusetts (October 11, 1798) 34
(The Adams Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society). 35
(2) In light of these principles, it is the intent of 36
the general assembly that the free exercise of religion, 37
including the right of houses of worship to assemble, shall 38
not be abridged, suspended, or prohibited by the state or a 39
local authority. 40
3. As used in this section, the following terms mean: 41
(1) "Place of worship", a building or grounds where 42
activities of religious groups are conducted; 43
(2) "Public official", any elected or appointed 44
officer, employee, or agent of the state of Missouri or any 45
political subdivision, board, commission, bureau, or other 46
public body thereof. 47
4. No public official shall issue an order that has 48
the effect of limiting or prohibiting religious groups from 49
holding religious services or meetings. 50
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5. No public official shall issue an order that has 51
the effect of limiting or prohibiting places of worship from 52
holding religious services or meetings. 53
6. The provisions of subsections 4 and 5 of this 54
section shall not apply to religious groups using places of 55
worship to knowingly commit or plan to commit acts of 56
violence or harm. 57
7. The provisions of subsections 4 and 5 of this 58
section shall not be interpreted to exclude places of 59
worship from complying with applicable building and fire 60
codes. 61
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