Proposal for UUCPA endorsement of SB 31 to prohibit a religious registry

Hi Everyone – thanks for being on the announce email list!

At the annual meeting, we passed an Endorsement Resolution which allows UUCPA the ability to make endorsements by following an outlined process.  The process includes Action Council approval, Board approval, and notice to the congregation in advance of the endorsement.  This email is being sent to the announce email list to inform you, and to follow the requirements of the resolution we passed at the annual meeting.

Following is detail about this endorsement request.  The Action Council has approved and the Board will email vote this week.  No action is needed from you!  But if you want to provide comments, we suggest you email to actioncouncil@uucpa.org and/or to board@uucpa.org

Thank you!

Edie Keating, Chair, UUCPA Action Council

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Dear UUCPA Board Members,

 

Here is the first test of our new endorsement resolution passed at the Annual Meeting.  The Action Council received a request last week from Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice (MVPJ) to consider submitting a letter to State Senator Ricardo Lara in support of SB 31, the California Religious Freedom Act, which Lara is presenting for consideration shortly.  SB 31 co-sponsors include the ACLU of California, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – California, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations – California Chapter.  MVPJ is also planning to endorse.  The Action Council has voted to approve this endorsement request, with five of the seven members of the Action Council voting, all of which voted in favor of making thisendorsement.  We are now referring this request to the Board, per our new process, and are requesting an email vote of the Board.  Our request to the Board is to approve sending the attached letter supporting SB 31 California Religious Freedom Act on behalf of the UUCPA Congregation.

 

Timing:  We are requested to submit this letter no later than Monday June 5, so please reply with your vote (yes, no, abstain) no later than Friday, June 2.

 

To briefly summarize, SB31 California Religious Freedom Act would prohibit state and local government agencies in California from participating in a registry in any way.  State and local agencies would be prohibited from collecting and/or reporting to the federal government data on religious belief, practice, affiliation, national origin, or ethnicity of any individual.  State and local law enforcement would also be prohibited from assisting in the enforcement of any violation of any requirement to register with the federal government based on religion, national origin, or ethnicity.  The bill does not prohibit reporting of aggregate data, and provides exceptions to law enforcement for specific criminal investigations.

 

Attached you will find a copy of the draft letter from UUCPA which, if approved by a majority of Board members (with a maximum of one no vote), will be submitted electronically on or before July 5 to Senator Lara on UUCPA letterhead.  Also attached is an SB31 Fact Sheet.  If you wish to read the full text of the bill, please go to: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB31  The bill text is not long.

SB 31 Fact Sheet

Proposed UUCPA SB 31 Support Letter

NOTE:  Our amended endorsement resolution requires us to notify the congregation two days prior to submitting an endorsement.  While we don’t have Board approval yet, we are choosing to send the proposed letter to Announce simultaneously with this request.  We will forward any congregational feedback, or you may receive congregational feedback directly.

 

Thank you very much for your consideration of this request.  If you have questions, please contact Kristi or Edie.

 

Kristi & Edie