Article I, Section 6-a of the Texas Constitution ("Religious Service Protections")
Added November 2, 2021:
This State or a political subdivision of this State may not enact, adopt, or issue a statute, order, proclamation, decision, or rule that prohibits or limits religious services, including religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and places of worship, in this State by a religious organization established to support and serve the propagation of a sincerely held religious belief.
Editor Comments
Sections 4 through 7 of Article I, including this new section, concern religion.
The broadly-worded section was adopted with a vote of 62 percent in favor.
It stops officials from using a disaster declaration to close places of worship.
Recent Decisions
None.
Historic Decisions
None.
Library Resources
- Vernon's Annotated Constitution of the State of Texas (this multi-volume and up-to-date resource is available at all law libraries and many municipal libraries)
- The Texas State Constitution: A Reference Guide (this one-volume resource is available at most law libraries and some municipal libraries)
- The Constitution of the State of Texas: An Annotated and Comparative Analysis (this two-volume resource is available at most law libraries and some municipal libraries)
Online Resources
- Constitution of the State of Texas (1876) (this resource is published and maintained by the University of Texas School of Law)
- Amendments to the Texas Constitution Since 1876 (this resource is published and regularly updated by the Legislative Council)
- Reports Analyzing Proposed Amendments (this resource is published and regularly updated by the Legislative Reference Library)