State Legislation Archives - American Atheists

NY Governor’s Veto of Life-Saving Substance Treatment Bill is Shameful and Misguided

American Atheists — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 14:30:47 +0000

Albany, NY – American Atheists rebuked New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to again veto a life-saving bill that has twice passed in the New York Assembly and Senate with bipartisan support. The Recovery Options Bill (A.5074) would have required that New Yorkers ordered to enter a substance abuse treatment program be informed of their right to not be forced into religious programming against their will. For example, many atheists choose nonreligious, evidence-based recovery options, such as SMART Recovery or LifeRing. Time and again, courts across the nation have found that 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are pervasively and overtly religious and cannot, therefore, be imposed on people by the government. The “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous includes a chapter that tells atheists and agnostics they are “doomed to an alcohol death” unless they “seek Him.” The chapter goes on to deride the nonreligious as “handicapped by obstinacy, sensitiveness, and unreasoning prejudice.” According to the American Atheists-commissioned U.S. Secular Survey, 15.2% of respondents reported experiencing stigma and discrimination while undergoing religious substance recovery treatment. Earlier this month, American Atheists officially announced the release of Andrew Miller, an atheist and Secular Humanist who was represented by the civil rights organization after he was repeatedly denied parole for his conscientious refusal to complete a religious substance treatment program that included the compulsory recitation of Christian prayers at meetings. In July of this year, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin issued a sweeping 60-page decision, denying West Virginia’s motion to dismiss the case and finding Mr. Miller’s claims to be “likely—if not inevitable” to succeed. West Virginia has since agreed to remove religious requirements as a condition for parole and pay $80,000 in legal fees. In New York, the legislation that Governor Hochul vetoed would have simply required courts to inform New Yorkers of their constitutional right to object to mandatory religious substance abuse programs. Subsequently, anyone who objected to these religious programs, including nonreligious people and religious minorities, could instead access evidence-based treatment programs free of religious coercion. “Recovering from addiction is difficult enough without suffering through unwanted indoctrination and religious abuse,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “Governor Hochul has had two opportunities to sign this bill into law and provide meaningful, even life-saving help to constituents of all religious beliefs and none, and she has twice chosen to issue an immoral and illogical veto instead.” According to a 2017 Gallup report, 40% of New Yorkers are nonreligious. In addition, nonreligious Americans are now the largest “faith constituency” in the Democratic Party. During the midterm elections, nonreligious Americans voted for Democrats over Republicans at a greater than 2:1 ratio, according to AP VoteCast. More recently, a survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found 30% of adults in the United States claim no religious affiliation. “In New York, West Virginia, and elsewhere, Americans need to know they have a constitutional right to access nonreligious recovery options before they’re trapped in a program that violates their freedom of religion and could threaten their recovery from addiction,” added Gill. “I am so thankful […]

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American Atheists Praises Colorado for Becoming First State to Tackle Problem of Health Care Denials

American Atheists — Wed, 10 May 2023 20:27:43 +0000

Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists applauded Colorado Governor Jared Polis for signing the Patients’ Right to Know Act (HB 1218). The bill previously passed both chambers with an overwhelming majority (43-19 in the House and 21-12 in the Senate). American Atheists worked with Colorado State Representatives Brianna Titone and Kyle Brown to help develop its language. With Governor Polis’ signature, Colorado has become the first state to adopt this type of law. In Colorado, like other states, health care facilities and hospitals can deny certain types of care based on the beliefs of hospital executives. Often, they do not even tell patients which health care services they refuse to provide. The Patients’ Right to Know Act will help to protect Coloradans by addressing denial of care at the source. Whenever hospitals deny necessary care based on religious beliefs or other nonmedical reasons, they must now be transparent and disclose this information to patients. “We are proud to have worked with national and local organizations dedicated to health care, reproductive rights, and religious freedom,” said Rebecca Greben, co-chair of American Atheists’ Colorado Secular Advocacy Team. “The Patients’ Right to Know Act will help protect all Coloradans and especially marginalized groups: LGBTQ people, women, religious minorities, and nonreligious people.” “No one should be denied health care because of someone else’s religious beliefs,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “Too often, this discrimination happens when patients are least expecting it. They arrive at a clinic or hospital during a medical emergency, only to find out that they are denied care.” Denial of care and a lack of transparency often go hand in hand. For example, a hospital may not tell a woman that she needs an emergency abortion until she is on the brink of death. A survivor of rape may not be told that emergency contraception is available. A health system may purposefully fail to mention generally available services to same-sex couples or trans patients. Under the Patients’ Right to Know Act, hospitals would have to be transparent with patients about their options. The Patients’ Right to Know Act is also a response to legislative attempts to increase denials of care. Throughout the country, states have considered and passed bills that allow hospital CEOs, hospital boards, employers, and even insurance companies to deny any health care service based on personal religious beliefs. For example, in 2022, South Carolina passed the so-called Medical Ethics and Diversity Act. These bills disproportionately harm patients in rural areas with limited options for health care, LGBTQ patients, and patients seeking reproductive care. “Colorado is showing the rest of the country the path forward. States that want to protect patients from nonmedical denial of care should pass their own health care transparency legislation,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. During this and future legislative sessions, American Atheists will continue to work on passing bills like the Patients’ Right to Know Act in states across the country.

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Atheists Condemn NY Governor for Forcing New Yorkers into Religious Substance-Use Programs

American Atheists — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 01:32:07 +0000

Albany, NY—Today, the religious equality organization American Atheists denounced New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s surprising decision to veto the life-saving Secular Recovery Bill (A.8163/S.7313). Earlier this year, the New York Assembly and Senate passed this legislation with bipartisan support. The Secular Recovery Bill would help atheists and religious minorities recover in court-ordered substance treatment programs. The bill simply requires courts to inform New Yorkers of their constitutional right to object to religious 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and instead participate in a nonreligious substance abuse treatment program. “Very often, we hear from people trapped in court-ordered substance abuse programs that force religion on them. It’s already difficult to recover from addiction. But suffering through unwanted religious indoctrination at the same time makes recovery so much more difficult,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “New Yorkers need to know that it’s their constitutional right to attend a secular program before it’s too late and they’re stuck in a program that violates their freedom of religion.” This problem is widespread. The American Atheists-commissioned U.S. Secular Survey, which includes data from nearly 34,000 nonreligious U.S. residents, found that 15.2% of participants undergoing substance abuse treatment experienced stigma and discrimination in these programs for being nonreligious. In 2014, an atheist settled a case with the state of California and his court-ordered religious rehab program for $2 million. In November of this year, United Airlines agreed to pay a Buddhist pilot $305,000 for forcing him into Alcoholics Anonymous’s religious program. “Governor Hochul had the chance to help nonreligious New Yorkers, religious minority New Yorkers, and anyone who prefers a secular, evidence-based option. Instead, she decided to veto this bill and put New Yorkers’ recovery and lives at risk. It’s immoral and unconstitutional for the state to force people into religious programs, especially vulnerable individuals struggling with addiction,” added Gill. According to a 2017 Gallup report, 40% of New Yorkers are nonreligious. That’s more than 3 million New Yorkers. In addition, nonreligious Americans are now the largest “faith constituency” in the Democratic Party. During the midterm elections, nonreligious Americans voted for Democrats over Republicans at a greater than 2:1 ratio, according to AP VoteCast. “Governor Hochul has betrayed nonreligious New Yorkers, ignoring the discrimination and stigma we face,” said Martina Fern, a Buffalo-area resident and the Development Director for American Atheists. “When I was addicted to alcohol, I thankfully got the help I needed through Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS). If a religious 12-step program had been my only option, I would not be nine years sober today.” American Atheists worked with Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, who sponsored this legislation, and national partners to ensure that the bill provides protection for both nonreligious people and religious minorities. The organization will continue to advocate for passage of the Secular Recovery Bill in the 2023-2024 legislative session.

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End Child Marriage in Rhode Island!

American Atheists — Mon, 17 May 2021 21:12:09 +0000

On May 19th, the Rhode Island House of Representatives will be considering H5387, a life-saving bill that would prevent children from being forced into marriage by prohibiting marriage of individuals under the age of 18. This legislation is important because, too often, marriages occur in religious sects where very young girls are forced to marry men much older than them. Help protect children! Ask your representative to support this essential bill! Child marriage remains a widespread problem in the United States. Between 2000 and 2015, more than 207,500 children as young as age 12 have been forced to marry. Current Rhode Island law includes a loophole allowing 16 years olds to marry with judicial approval. The U.S. State Department has called marriage before age 18 a “human rights abuse.” Take action today! This is the last vote needed to pass this important bill into law. Tell your state representative to protect young people in Rhode Island from the devastating practice of child marriage!

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Connecticut Eliminates Dangerous Religious Exemptions to School Vaccination Requirements

American Atheists — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 21:23:27 +0000

Hartford, CT—Today the religious equality watchdog American Atheists praised Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont for signing into law HB 6423, a bill that eliminates any religious exemptions from mandatory school vaccinations. With the passage of this bill, Connecticut joins other nearby states such as New York and Maine, which have already eliminated nonmedical exemptions to vaccination requirements. “Eliminating religious exemptions ensures that all people—whether religious or nonreligious—receive equal treatment under the law, a foundational principle of our democracy,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy, who submitted testimony on the bill. “This is a resounding victory for religious equality.” “No one’s religious beliefs should let them expose others—especially immunocompromised children—to deadly diseases,” she added. “Studies have shown that these types of nonmedical exemptions can cause or amplify outbreaks of preventable disease.” As the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear, nonmedical exemptions to vaccination are not required under the Constitution. In Prince v. Massachusetts (1944), the Court said that “[t]he right to practice religion freely does not include liberty to expose the community or child communicable disease, or the latter to ill health or death…. Parents may be free to become martyrs themselves. But it does not follow they are free, in identical circumstances, to make martyrs of their children before they reached the age of full and legal discretion when they can make that choice for themselves.” American Atheists’ Connecticut State Director Dennis Paul Himes said, “I applaud Governor Lamont and the General Assembly for recognizing that religious exceptionalism has no place in our state. The health and safety of our children should be our first priority, and thanks to their action in passing and signing this bill, it now is.” “Governor Lamont and the Connecticut legislature showed what’s possible when policymakers put the health and safety of their community first,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “Now it’s time for more states to follow Connecticut’s example and eliminate these dangerous exemptions that put children at risk, especially those who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons. We’re going to keep working to end these exemptions in more states across the country.”

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Arkansas Creationism Bill Defeated in Tight Vote

American Atheists — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 20:21:45 +0000

Little Rock, Arkansas—Today, the church/state separation watchdog American Atheists praised the lawmakers on the Arkansas Senate Education Committee who rejected the controversial creationism bill (HB 1701) in a 3-3 vote yesterday evening. The Arkansas House had passed this unconstitutional bill on April 7, drawing national criticism and condemnation. Both Arkansas Department of Education Assistant Commissioner Stacy Smith and Senator Linda Chesterfield noted the impossibility of teaching a single creationist myth that isn’t based on a particular religious tradition. “There’s lots of creation theories out there [according to] different religions,” said Smith. Senator Chesterfield noted problems arising from Buddhist, Muslim, or Hindu public school instructors teaching their own creationist myths to Christian children. “This is a victory for religious freedom and for students and teachers of all faiths—including Christianity—as well as atheists and nonreligious people,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists, who submitted testimony. “As the Christian resident who testified put it, Arkansas should not be ‘turning religion into science.’” Representative Mary Bentley, the bill’s sponsor, admitted the proselytizing nature of the bill during her comments. “We see that the heavens declare the glory of God,” she said, citing Psalms 19:1. Failing to name any contemporary scientists who advocate creationism, she cited theist Sir Isaac Newton, “who started the scientific revolution back quite a few centuries back [sic].” “When you have to go all the way back to the 17th century to justify your creationism bill, you know your argument is doomed,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “Thankfully, Arkansas schools’ science programs will remain in the 21st century.” “By rejecting this creationism bill, Arkansas will be spared unnecessary lawsuits that would drain needed resources from an educational system already ranked near the bottom by measures of student attainment. Lawmakers did the right thing. This bill was unconstitutional through-and-through,” said Gill. HB 1701 is not the first attempt to legislate creationism in Arkansas. In McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education (1982), a federal court struck down Arkansas Act 590 of 1981, an infamous creationism law. “Since creation science is not science, the conclusion is inescapable that the only real effect of Act 590 is the advancement of religion,” Judge Overton wrote in the decision. “Arkansas already had a creationism bill, and we made national news, and it was not good national news,” Senator Chesterfield reminded her colleagues during the hearing. “Hopefully, this is the last time we hear about an unconstitutional creationism bill coming out of Little Rock,” said Fish. “Arkansas lawmakers need to find ways to improve public education, not impose their religion on it.”

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Arkansas Legislature Passes Most Extreme and Deadly Denial of Healthcare Bill in U.S.

American Atheists — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:02:30 +0000

Little Rock, AR—Today, the civil rights watchdog American Atheists denounced passage (32-1) by the Arkansas Senate of SB 289, the most extreme denial of healthcare bill in the country. The bill, having already passed the House, will now go to Governor Asa Hutchinson’s desk. Arkansas’s Denial of Healthcare bill allows doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, and even insurance companies and employers to cite religious beliefs to deny patients necessary care during a scheduled visit or during an emergency. “No one in the middle of a medical emergency should have to find out that a hospital will deny them care until it’s too late. Simply put, this bill prioritizes the religious beliefs of hospital administrators and employers over the lives of patients,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “A person’s boss or insurance company should not be able to use personal religious beliefs to dictate the healthcare their families can or cannot receive.” Arkansas’s Denial of Healthcare bill focuses on a problem that doesn’t exist. Between 2008 and 2016, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights reported that only 10 complaints were filed by health care workers related to lack of accommodation for their religious beliefs. “Arkansas lawmakers are putting religious special interests and a manufactured problem ahead of people’s lives without even considering the resulting suffering to Arkansans. It’s disturbing and deadly,” added Gill. “Time and time again, Arkansas lawmakers have shown their utter disregard for the lives of their constituents.” In February, the legislature passed HB 1211, Arkansas’s church superspreader bill, and Governor Hutchinson signed it into law as Act 94. This dangerous legislation allows religious organizations, including schools and hospitals, to ignore public health restrictions, as well as civil or criminal laws that conflict with their beliefs, during this or any future emergency. SB 289 continues Arkansas lawmakers’ trend of putting religious beliefs ahead of healthcare. “Governor Hutchinson should veto this deadly bill. If he does sign it into law, it will result in the deaths of Arkansans, and the blood will be on his hands,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “Lawmakers claim this bill is about conscience. Does Governor Hutchinson really want the deaths of Arkansans on his?”

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American Atheists Praises NY Legislation to Ensure Hospital Transparency

American Atheists — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:29:19 +0000

Albany, NY–Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists praised New York Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and Senator Michelle Hinchey for announcing legislation that will improve healthcare and save lives. This important bill ensures that New Yorkers have access to vital information about whether the hospital in their area provides the care they need prior to admission. The legislation will direct the NY Department of Health to collect a list of policy-based exclusions from each general hospital and to publish a list of the hospitals that have such exclusions, and the specific policy-based exclusions for each, on its website. American Atheists joins New York Civil Liberties Union, the National Institute of Reproductive Health (NIRH), Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, and Schenectady Coalition for Healthcare Access in supporting this legislation. By partnering with organizations and lawmakers, American Atheists has worked to introduce similar legislation in other states. “The current pandemic has laid bare how crucial hospital care is and how little we know about what care each hospital provides,” said Assemblywoman Rozic. “No patient should be denied the care they need simply because they had no way to know that their local hospital excluded certain procedures. This legislation will go a long way to ensure New Yorkers have access to the data they deserve in order to make informed decisions about their health care needs.” Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “It’s well past time to strengthen information transparency in our healthcare system. All New Yorkers have the right to know what medical services are available at their local hospital. This is especially important now as we are seeing a wave of hospital consolidations and, therefore, the loss of services in communities across the state. Our legislation will ensure that New Yorkers have access to the information they need to make the most informed health decisions possible for themselves and their families. At the same time, this bill will allow us to identify key service gaps that are leaving entire regions of our state without access to proper types of care. This is a critical step towards greater health equity for all New Yorkers.” “When New Yorkers are in the middle of a medical emergency, they need to know that their hospital will treat them, not turn them away for discriminatory reasons. Thankfully, Assemblymember Rozic and Senator Hinchey have introduced important legislation to fix this life-threatening problem,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. “No one should find out that a hospital will deny them care until it’s too late.” Read additional quotes here. Since 2003, over 40 community hospitals in New York have closed. Currently, large health care systems now control more than 70 percent of acute hospital beds, and hospital mergers in New York continue apace. Unfortunately, these large hospital systems sometimes remove categories of care from local hospitals, leaving patients in regions of the state without access to particular types of care, including some types of emergency care. Too often, patients do not have the ability to determine whether the hospital, or hospitals, in their area provides the care they seek, because information about how hospitals’ restrictions […]

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“Moment of Silence” Bill is Florida Representative’s Controversial Answer to Parkland Shooting

American Atheists — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 23:19:46 +0000

Tallahassee, FL—Today, the church/state watchdog organization American Atheists denounced passage (12-6) of HB 529 in the Early Learning and Elementary Education Subcommittee. This moment of silence bill mandates that public school teachers lead students in daily moments of reflection, a strategy used by school prayer activists to promote unconstitutional teacher-led prayer. During the hearing, Rep. Tracie Davis asked the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Randy Fine, about his motivation behind mandating moments of reflection, since they’re “permissible already in our school districts” (6:45). “I think we live in a world in which our kids have a lot of problems,” he responded to her. “Two years ago, three years ago—I can’t even remember—the most vivid day that many of us have had in the legislature was the day of Parkland, where on Valentine’s Day we were sitting on the floor and we learned about students being shot in schools. I fundamentally believe that our kids have issues today in part because they don’t have time for moments of reflection.” “It is unconscionable that, mere days after the third year anniversary of the Parkland shooting, Representative Fine would exploit this tragedy in an effort to promote teacher-led prayer in public schools,” said Devon Graham, a Florida Assistant State Director at American Atheists, who also testified. “If Rep. Fine wants to take legislative action that will prevent another Parkland, he should introduce common sense gun control legislation that huge majorities of Floridians support. We’ve had enough of legislators’ ‘thoughts and prayers’.” Representative Christine Hunschofsky used her time at the hearing to criticize Rep. Fine for suggesting that his bill is the answer to the Parkland shooting. “As the former mayor of Parkland, who was the mayor at the time, a local elected official who followed the whole history of what happened, I would respectfully say that no moment of silence was ever brought up in any of the MSD commission meetings, by any of the experts, by anybody from the secret service,” she said. “I would like to be on the record with that” (17:00). During her testimony, Graham raised concern about how this ‘backdoor school prayer’ bill could increase bullying. She cited Walter v. West Virginia Board of Education (1985), in which a Jewish student who chose not to pray during the moment of silence was told by his classmates that if he didn’t do it, he would “go down [to hell] with the rest of the Jews.” “There are no guidelines on how to run this moment of silence. There is no guidance in the bill on how to opt out. There is no language on this bill on how it will remain secular and neutral and compliant with the Establishment [Clause],” Graham said during the hearing. “If this backdoor school prayer bill passes, religious minority and nonreligious students will face discrimination,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “Is this really what Floridians want their state legislators spending time mandating? What a waste.”

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Arkansas Legislature Passes Church Superspreader Bill, Allows People to “Kill Themselves” and the Community with COVID-19

American Atheists — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 21:29:11 +0000

Little Rock, Arkansas—Today, the public policy watchdog American Atheists condemned passage of Arkansas’s church superspreader bill (HB 1211) in the Senate (31-0 with 4 present). This bill passed the Arkansas House of Representatives on January 28 and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs, chaired by noted Christian nationalist Jason Rapert, yesterday. It will now go to the governor’s desk. During the floor vote, Rapert read the title of American Atheists’ press release from yesterday—“Christian Nationalist Jason Rapert Fast Tracks Arkansas’s Church Superspreader Bill, Disregards COVID-19 Infections and Deaths”. Nonetheless, he failed to consider its contents—that HB 1211 will increase the likelihood that churches will become deadly COVID-19 hotspots. State Senator Linda Chesterfield admitted as much when she said, “I’m going to vote for the bill…people have the right to decide whether or not they want to kill themselves.” “It’s not just about the people who choose to go to church. Their choices put the lives of everyone in the community in danger,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists. A 2020 CDC report found that a rural Arkansas church’s superspreader events transmitted the virus to people outside of the church, leading to at least 26 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, which included a hospitalization and death. “Today, lawmakers showed they care more about pandering to fringe church leaders than protecting all Arkansans,” said Gill. “During the hearing, Senator Hammer, one of the bill’s sponsors, admitted he closed down his church for two months due to COVID-19—yet wants to let other churches stay open and become COVID-19 hotspots. This is irresponsible and deadly.” Last week, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences warned about a spike in coronavirus deaths in the coming weeks. “Arkansas’s church superspreader bill will only aggravate Arkansas’s coming wave of coronavirus infections and deaths,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “When Arkansans ask who’s to blame, they need only look to their legislators.”

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