Ohio Pastor Protection Act (H.B. 36) - Stalled in Committee. Your Calls and Emails are Needed. Urge Your Representative to Pass the Bill Now!

BULLETIN INSERT FOR YOUR CHURCH! - CALL TO ACTION ON H.B. 36

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR CONGREGATION FOR THE NEXT 3 SUNDAYS!

History of H.B. 36

Late in December, the Ohio Pastor Protection Act passed the Community and Family Advancement Committee, chaired by Rep. Tim Ginter, after having been stalled for most of the year. Clergy from all over the State of Ohio came to the Statehouse to give overwhelming supporting testimony for the Ohio Pastor Protection Act which protects pastors, churches, church property, and church organizations from frivolous lawsuits by homosexual activists. Constitutional attorneys also weighed in in favor of the legislation.

Speaker Rosenberger informed the bill's sponsor, Rep. Nino Vitale, that the bill would not receive a floor vote in the 131st General Assembly, but in the words of the bill's sponsor, he received assurances from Speaker Rosenberger that the bill would be quickly picked up in the new year and passed quickly. As many of you who read our newsletters on a regular basis know, the bill did receive three full hearings in the month of February, and according to Speaker Rosenberger's office, was ready for a committee vote and floor vote the last week of February of this year. Now, with no full explanation, the bill has stalled in committee, and no further word of its future has been discussed with our office. What we can tell you is that powerful homosexual interests behind the scenes are blocking this bill. For whatever reason, they seem to hold sway over Leadership. Equality Ohio, the homosexual activist group, has threatened to pour money into districts to challenge representatives in their next election.

ACTION ITEM - Call your representative and urge them to support the Ohio Pastor Protection Act - H.B. 36. If we flood the phones with calls, we can win the day.