On Tuesday, the State Senate passed on a party-line vote a resolution that would amend our state constitution to ensure that no unit of government or agency of the state could close places of worship during declared emergencies, including health emergencies. The proposal needs to pass in the Assembly and then be introduced and passed in both houses in the next legislative session that begins in January of twenty twenty-five. Once this happens, Wisconsin voters will then vote on the resolution as a referendum on a statewide ballot.

We learned the hard way during COVID that government can and will overstep its legitimate authority in declared emergencies. While this resolution has a ways to go before it becomes law, this is a good first step towards securing our religious freedom.