3/3/2014 - March 2014 SLI Newsletter

                                                                                                                        March 2014

 Dear Friends and Supporters,

 Our Educational Update this month will bring you up-to-date on legislative activities.  It has been a very fast moving session with a number of significant bills. 

We wondered initially how the Republicans would handle the fourth year of their term, being an election year, something that has never happened before.  Democrats, who were previously in control, would pass good bills in election years for purposes of their political campaigns and to impress their constituents.  Republicans have a good track record so far.  However, it appears that pleasing the folks back home is still important.

 When the session started, there was only one pro-life bill, but now there are five.  There are a number of religious freedom bills, some of which have a good chance to pass and would be important to protect religious rights. 

 You may have seen news reports that the Southern Poverty Law Center has filed a lawsuit saying the Alabama Sanctity of Marriage Amendment, which permits only marriage between a man and woman and does not allow the state to recognize same-sex marriage from any other state, is unconstitutional.  Similar actions are being filed in other states which have laws against same-sex marriage.  Seventeen states, plus the District of Columbia, now recognize same-sex marriage.  Those states that do not are now in the sights of the gay lobby.  Since the case has just now been filed, there is not much to report.  It is based on the federal equal protection rights argument which we explained in several of our Educational Updates since last summer.  The Attorney General’s Office will be ably defending the lawsuit.  We will report in more detail as things develop.  If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

 All of these activities have taken an extraordinary amount of time this year.  If we are not in the State House explaining bills or testifying, we are back in the office preparing amendments, doing research, and analyzing bills.  We are not paid a salary for doing this work, although your support helps defray administrative and travel expenses.  All of this time takes a toll on our ability to otherwise practice law and produce income.  Please send us as generous a financial gift as you can.  Remember it is tax deductible to you and not taxable to us.  Please pray for our efforts.  Thank you for all of your support.

                                                                                     Yours very truly,        

                                                                                     A. Eric Johnston

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