BSB/3/14
Sponsored by Aryan Chaitanya of Ravenwood High School
This legislation was filed in the General Services category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section 1: Terms in this act will be defined as follows: |
| 4 | a.) TN Const. art. IX, 2: Article IX Section II of the Tennessee constitution states, “No person who |
| 5 | denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the |
| 6 | civil department of this state.” |
| 7 | b.) Theism: Belief in the existence of a god or gods. |
| 8 | c.) Atheism: Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods. |
| 9 | d.) U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. III: Article VI Clause III of the U.S. constitution states, “The Senators |
| 10 | and Representatives, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and |
| 11 | judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or |
| 12 | Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a |
| 13 | Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” |
| 14 | e.) Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488 (1961): A United States Supreme Court case in which the |
| 15 | court reaffirmed that the United States Constitution prohibits states and the federal government |
| 16 | from requiring any kind of religious test for public office. |
| 17 | f.) U.S. Const. amend. I: The First Amendment of the U.S. constitution states, “Congress shall |
| 18 | make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or |
| 19 | abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, |
| 20 | and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” |
| 21 | |
| 22 | Section 2: TN Const. art. IX 2 will be repealed with immediate effect. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Section 3: Any citizen of the state of Tennessee, regardless of religious beliefs or sentiments, may |
| 25 | attempt to be a representative at the state government, and as per individual qualifications, hold |
| 26 | public office. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Section 4: This act hereby declares any subsequent disqualification of representatives in the civil |
| 29 | department of the state of Tennessee based on the individual judgment and determination of |
| 30 | religious beliefs or sentiments, including, but not limited to, theism or atheism, null and void. |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Section 5: This act further reinforces the principles of religious freedom expressed through the |
| 33 | U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. III, Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488 (1961), and U.S. Const. amend. I, in |
| 34 | the state government of Tennessee. |
| 35 | |
| 36 | Section 6: This act will require no funding from the state of Tennessee. |
| 37 | Section 7: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.Section 8: This act |
| 38 | shall take effect January 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it. |
| 39 |