WPC  _%%ph^77¹,_ph$ײeHN|Bͩ |KORrs;S1S LDX|GҮ.UZ?1Z!e,W!6ě.ysY#x0c@ g0ԅ*˥ .`:$ LpsCxKPܽOp4UO33(%qdj1\dQȹbnHĀ@b$KDVއ7OnCg.$dr`bRhMĉѥy>7,*z{1kD2$>/s%oւ}½/ቻWΌ/#oTU"p&LuD ‡]3Q]g;. u`oTJ #4UN %K 0QU 8 0 BnXUFF  N` Db UF 0 ^ w 4   m  HP LaserJet 5200 PCL 6 (Copy 1)0(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularX(\ /$XXXXXXXX  ?a9Z+ Courier New (w2q$  /!XXXXXXXX     O:\SESSIONS\BOILER~1\HTOP.WPT<6X9`("Courier 10cpiXx6X@8;X@* `(CG TimesScalableXXx P7XP.Courier New Regular 6'XXXXXXXX    _B(#2009R1441  O:\sessions\Boilerplates\HTop.wpt.Courier New Regular(x36$  /!XXXXXXXX    ݘ}P:Z ՂF::i+003|xU   /!XXXXXXXX    _8  Xdd8X =X8Xdd=@% H.B.2524  $ 0  0` (#(#(ByDelegateCampbell,Crosier,Canterbury,J.Miller,  t BeachandMoye)D ` (#` (#    ` [IntroducedFebruary17,2009;referredtothe     ` CommitteeontheJudiciary.] x  0   0(#(#  ABILLtoamendtheCodeofWestVirginia,1931,asamended,by L( addingtheretoanewarticle,designated5-11B-1,5-11B-2  and5-11B-3,allrelatingtoestablishingtheWestVirginia  ReligiousFreedomRestorationAct;shorttitle;definitions; P, applicability;constructionandremedies.(#(# BeitenactedbytheLegislatureofWestVirginia:    ThattheCodeofWestVirginia,1931,asamended,beamended ` < byaddingtheretoanewarticle,designated5-11B-1,5-11B-2and  "  5-11B-3,alltoreadasfollows: #"  ARTICLE11B.WESTVIRGINIARELIGIOUSFREEDOMRESTORATIONACT.  d%@$  5-11B-1.Shorttitle.  ,' &   Thisarticlemaybecitedasthe"WestVirginiaReligious (!( FreedomRestorationAct." *|#*  5-11B-2.Definitions.  L,(%,   Asusedinthisarticle: .&.   (a) Demonstratesmeansmeetstheburdensofgoingforward $ withtheevidenceandofpersuasionunderthestandardofclearand  convincingevidence. | X   (b) Exerciseofreligionmeanstheexerciseofreligion (  underarticlethree,sectionfifteenoftheConstitutionofWest ԰ Virginia,andtheFirstAmendmenttotheUnitedStates \  Constitution. ,    (c) Governmententitymeansanybranch,department,agency   orinstrumentalityofstategovernment,oranyofficialorother ` personactingundercolorofstatelaw,oranypolitical 0  subdivisionofthestateanddoesnotincludeanylocal,regional  orfederalcorrectionalfacilityoranyfacilitythattreats d civillycommittedsexuallyviolentpredators. 4   (d) Prevailsmeanstoobtainprevailingpartystatusas  definedbycourtsconstruingthefederalCivilRightsAttorneyFees h AwardsActof1976,42U.S.C.1988. 8    (e) Substantiallyburdenmeanstoinhibitorcurtail !  religiouslymotivatedpractice. #l"  5-11B-3.Applicability;construction;remedies.  <%$   (a)Agovernmententitymaynotsubstantiallyburdena '& personsfreeexerciseofreligioneveniftheburdenresultsfrom (!( aruleofgeneralapplicabilityunlessitdemonstratesthat \*8#* applicationoftheburdentothepersonis:(1)Essentialto ,$, furtheracompellinggovernmentalinterest;and(2)theleast -&. restrictivemeansoffurtheringthatcompellinggovernmental $ interest.    (b)Nothinginthissectionmaybeconstruedto:(1) | X Authorizeanygovernmententitytoburdenanyreligiousbelief;or (  (2)affect,interpretorinanywayaddressthoseportionsof ԰ articlethree,sectionfifteenoftheConstitutionofWest \  Virginia,andtheFirstAmendmenttotheUnitedStatesConstitution ,  thatprohibitlawsrespectingtheestablishmentofreligion.   Grantinggovernmentfunds,benefitsorexemptions,totheextent ` permissibleunderclause(2)ofthissubsection,doesnot 0  constituteaviolationofthissection.Asusedinthis  subsection, grantingusedwithrespecttogovernmentfunding, d benefitsorexemptionsdoesnotincludethedenialofgovernment 4 funding,benefitsorexemptions.    (c)Apersonwhosereligiousexercisehasbeenburdenedby h governmentinviolationofthissectionmayassertthatviolation 8  asaclaimordefenseinanyjudicialoradministrativeproceeding !  andmayobtaindeclaratoryandinjunctiverelieffromacircuit #l" court,butmaynotobtainmonetarydamages.Apersonwhoprevails <%$ inanyproceedingtoenforcethissectionagainstagovernment && entitymayrecoverhisorherreasonablecostsandattorneyfees. (p!( Theprovisionsofthissubsectionrelatingtoattorneyfeesdoes @*#* notapplytocriminalprosecutions. +$,   (d)Nothinginthissectionpreventsanygovernmental -t&. institutionorfacilityfrommaintaininghealth,safety,security $ ordiscipline.    (e)Thedecisionofthecircuitcourttograntordeny | X declaratoryandinjunctivereliefmaybeappealedbypetitionto (  theSupremeCourtofAppeals. ԰ =XXdX8Xd=  NOTE:ThepurposeofthisbillistoestablishtheWest ,  VirginiaReligiousFreedomRestorationAct.   =XXdXXd=  Strike-throughsindicatelanguagethatwouldbestrickenfrom   thepresentlaw,andunderscoringindicatesnewlanguagethatwould ` beadded. Z6