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Bill: Religious Freedom (State secularity) Act
Details
Submitted by[?]: Progressive Liberal Party
Status[?]: defeated
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: January 2591
Description[?]:
| An Act to prevent the association of the State with determinate religions or symbols by preventing public officers from displaying such symbols while in exercise of their public duties. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change The state's policy concerning religious clothing.
Old value:: There are no laws regulating the wearing of religious clothing and the wearing of religious symbols.
Current: There are no laws regulating the wearing of religious clothing and the wearing of religious symbols.
Proposed: Public officials are not allowed to wear religious symbols while exercising their duties.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 17:12:02, June 11, 2008 CET | From |  Progressive Liberal Party | To | Debating the Religious Freedom (State secularity) Act |
| Message | A similar proposal was introduced some 15 years ago and was soundly defeated. We the Progressive Liberals wish to reintroduce it, believing that the evolution of society in the interlude will make it pass now. The proposal tries to enforce the constitutional separation of religion and state, banning public officers to wear or otherwise display religious symbols while performing their official duties. We believe (and the citizens seem to agree in opinion polls) that secularity and neutrality of the State is important for its stability, and this kind of little details, like an Minister wearing a cross or a headscarf, might unintentinally tie the image of the State to a particular confession. Of course, the law does not apply if the duties _require_ such displays, i.e. in the presentation of a State-sponsored project to rejuvenate a cathedral. We would also be willing to introduce an exception for members of the Senate, since unlike members of the executive or judiciary, which have to act and look neutral, legislators were selected by the people because of their views and positions, and need not be "neutral" in the same sense as other public officers. |
| Date | 00:01:10, June 12, 2008 CET | From | Progressive Liberal Party | To | Debating the Religious Freedom (State secularity) Act |
| Message | Even with the current lack of debate, parliamentary schedule forces us to put the bill before the house if we want it passed before this term expires. |
| Date | 13:46:12, June 12, 2008 CET | From | Progressive Liberal Party | To | Debating the Religious Freedom (State secularity) Act |
| Message | Well, we can only say "wow" - who could think that a Communist Party would be anti-secular? |
| Date | 22:08:37, June 12, 2008 CET | From | Progressive Liberal Party | To | Debating the Religious Freedom (State secularity) Act |
| Message | We no longer think that this proposal can be passed, but would at least wish to know the reasons of such a sizable opposition, from all parties. |
| Date | 09:50:06, June 13, 2008 CET | From | Communist Party (marxist-deleonist) | To | Debating the Religious Freedom (State secularity) Act |
| Message | We are secular, meaning that we doesn´t favorise any religion over other religions, but we think, that secularism means freedom of religion, and if you want to wear headscarf, kipah or cross, it is fine with us. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||||
| yes | Total Seats: 15 | ||||
| no |
Total Seats: 138 | ||||
| abstain | Total Seats: 22 |
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