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The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Gregory S. Baylor regarding Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s signing Friday of HB 1063, a bill that clarifies that, under certain commonwealth statutes, the definition of “religion” includes not just belief but expression and action as well: “All Americans are guaranteed the right to free speech and the free exercise of religion. Government officials have a duty to protect and promote these freedoms. HB 1063 provides a necessary and helpful clarification in the law to help ensure Virginians won’t face ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Christiana Kiefer regarding the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act ( SB 44), which became law after Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday that he would allow the bill to be enacted without his signature. The bill protects opportunities for women and girls in athletics by ensuring they are not forced to compete against men playing on women’s sports teams: “Women and girls deserve to compete on a level playing field. When the law ignores biological reality, female athletes lose medals, podium spots, public ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb regarding Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto Thursday of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, a bill that protects opportunities for women and girls in athletics by ensuring they are not forced to compete against males playing on women’s sports teams: “We are disappointed by Gov. Kelly’s decision to ignore the best interests of women and girls and veto the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. This legislation would have helped ensure that female athletes in Kansas—from elementary school through college ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, regarding Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s signing Tuesday of HB 233, a bill that provides better recourse for public university students if they are punished for expressing their sincerely held religious beliefs in a private setting, as happened to ADF client Jack Denton: “Students don’t forfeit their right to free speech when they step on to a public university campus. After forcing Jack Denton out of his position as student senate president, the ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker, director of ADF’s Center for Christian Ministries regarding Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 order updated Tuesday that lifted the hard cap of 200 people for churches and other religious gatherings: “Gov. Inslee has finally acknowledged that even during this difficult time, the First Amendment cannot be put away and forgotten. As the Supreme Court recently affirmed, the Constitution doesn’t allow government officials to treat religious Americans like second-class citizens. There is no ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, regarding Florida State University’s Student Supreme Court’s decision Monday to reinstate Jack Denton as Student Senate president while his federal lawsuit, Denton v. Thrasher, proceeds: “We commend the FSU Supreme Court for acting swiftly and decisively to reinstate Jack to his position as FSU’s Student Senate president while his federal lawsuit continues and for acknowledging the violations of his constitutionally protected right to free ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding a friend-of-the-court brief ADF filed with the Texas Supreme Court in State of Texas v. Loe, in which the state of Texas is defending its law that protects children from unproven drug treatments that risk permanent harm: “Texas rightly enacted the Minors Protection Act to protect the health and welfare of all children—no matter how they identify. Injecting children with puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria is unsafe ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Chris Schandevel regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit’s decision Monday in Turning Point USA at Arkansas State University v. Rhodes, which found that Arkansas State acted unconstitutionally when it stopped a student, Ashlyn Hoggard, from setting up a promotional table outside of the student union to recruit students for a new chapter of Turning Point USA: “Speech isn’t free when students have to ask permission before they can speak anywhere on campus. As the 8th Circuit rightly found, Arkansas ...

ADF attorneys file opening brief in suit over policy illegally recognizing same-sex “marriages” performed beyond state lines

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman regarding a federal court’s decision Thursday to dismiss Hunter v. U.S. Department of Education and continue to allow students to direct federal tuition assistance to educational institutions that share their religious beliefs. The lawsuit was filed by an activist group and was intended to prevent any students from using tuition grants, student loans, and any other federal financial assistance at schools that operate according to religious beliefs on gender or ...