'Faith is essential in many Texans' lives': Texas lawmakers push effort to exempt religious organizations from future shutdowns

In response to concerns raised during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic regarding restrictions that extended to churches, a piece of legislation currently being considered by the Texas House of Representatives would deem all houses of worship as “essential.”

State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood) recently tweeted about why he thinks House Bill 525, which he co-authored, is important.

“Faith is essential in many Texans’ lives,” Bonnen said in his tweet. “That's why I co-authored and voted for HB 525 to designate houses of worship as ‘essential’ in state law. No government official can ever use the law to close the doors to people of faith.”

The bill itself holds that a “religious organization” is an essential business, and that the activities of such an entity are essential, regardless of whether they are enumerated in an order issued during a disaster. Such institutions would also be exempt from any order to close or alter its activities.

The bill states that no government entity can “at any time, including during a declared state of disaster, prohibit a religious organization from engaging in religious and other related activities or continuing to operate in the discharge of the organization's foundational faith-based mission and purpose.”

The Texas House of Representatives has also moved forward a proposed state constitutional amendment that would prevent the closing of houses of worship, according to coverage by The Dallas Express. Introduced as both Senate Joint Resolution 27 and House Joint Resolution 72, the House recently passed the measure.

“A huge victory for religious liberty and a win for Texas,” state Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Allen) tweeted in regard to the passage by the state House.

The effort also spurred support from the other side of the aisle, such as from state Rep. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg), The Dallas Express reported.