Arkansas Fails to Pass Religious Freedom Amendment Issue 3

Religious Freedom,

On Tuesday, Arkansas narrowly failed to pass Issue 3, the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment.

As of Thursday morning, unofficial results from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website indicate the measure fell approximately 7,000 votes short of passing.

It’s important to keep in mind that this vote is not a referendum on religious liberty in Arkansas. There was a lot of confusion about Issue 3, specifically.

Issue 3 would have restored protections for religious liberty under the Arkansas Constitution.

Over the years, courts have allowed the government to burden the free exercise of religion when it did not have a compelling interest at stake and when the government could be less restrictive toward religious liberty. Issue 3 would have fixed that.

Unfortunately, this is a complicated issue.

Many voters don’t realize how weak our protections for religious freedom have become. That likely is part of the reason Issue 3 narrowly failed.

Family Council remains committed to protecting religious liberty in Arkansas, and we hope to do exactly that in the coming year.

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Focus on the Family: It Is “Crucial” for Arkansans to Vote For Religious Freedom Amendment Issue 3

Religious Freedom,

On Wednesday Focus On The Family published an article endorsing religious freedom amendment Issue 3 and opposing marijuana amendment Issue 4 in Arkansas.

In an article analyzing religious freedom amendment Issue 3 and marijuana amendment Issue 4, attorney Bruce Hausknecht who serves as Focus on the Family’s judicial analyst, wrote,

Such laws [like Issue 3] are necessary to guarantee Christians (and all citizens of other faiths) the right to live their lives according to their deeply held beliefs, even when local governments pass laws that promote ideologies contrary to religious faith, disguised, for example, as “nondiscrimination” ordinances and statutes. . . .

It is crucial for concerned citizens in Arkansas to vote “Yes” on Issue 3 to protect religious freedom in their state.

Besides urging Arkansans to support Issue 3, the article also opposes marijuana Issue 4, saying, “If you live in Arkansas, please vote ‘No’ on Issue 4.”

Focus On The Family is the latest group to come out in support of Issue 3.

To date, FRC Action, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Family Council have endorsed the measure.

Family Council Action Committee is currently campaigning for the passage of Issue 3 in Arkansas.

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Alliance Defending Freedom Endorses Issue 3

Religious Freedom,

On Tuesday, a representative of Alliance Defending Freedom confirmed to Family Council that the organization supports Issue 3, the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment.

Alliance Defending Freedom is a Christian nonprofit organization. Their attorneys specialize in defending religious liberty, free speech, the sanctity of human life, parental rights, and biblical marriage and family.

Issue 3 is a constitutional amendment that protects religious liberty in Arkansas.

Issue 3 would guarantee that state and local laws will not infringe religious liberty and provide people with legal recourse if the government infringes their religious freedoms. The amendment also maintains balance in situations in which religious liberty conflicts with a compelling governmental interest.

The state legislature voted to place Issue 3 on the ballot last year.

ADF is the latest organization to come out in support of the amendment.

Earlier this year FRC Action — an affiliate of Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. — endorsed Issue 3.

Family Council Action Committee is currently campaigning for the passage of Issue 3 in Arkansas.

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