Sent to Maine State Senator Dick Woodbury

 To: Maine State Senator Dick Woodbury, 25 Jan 2014-

Dear Senator Woodbury,

Thank you for responding so promptly to our e-mail concerning LD

1428:  An Act to Protect Religious Freedom.

     The bill in question would ensure that the state would need

"compelling government interest" before burdening the free exercise

of religion, and would need to apply the "least restrictive means” to

serve that interest.  You said in your response that you were

“inclined to agree with the majority of the Judiciary Committee”,

which recommended voting against the bill.

     We are interested in knowing your reasons for opposing these very

basic protections for one of our most fundamental constitutional

rights.  Congress has already committed the federal government to

these same standards, and eighteen other states have done so as well.

Your constituents,

James and Linda Milliken

To: Maine State Senator Dick Woodbury, 26 Jan 2014-

Dear Senator Woodbury,

     Thank you for responding so promptly to our e-mail concerning LD

1428:  An Act to Protect Religious Freedom.

     The bill in question would ensure that the state would need

"compelling government interest" before burdening the free exercise

of religion, and would need to apply the "least restrictive means” to

serve that interest.  You said in your response that you were

“inclined to agree with the majority of the Judiciary Committee”,

which recommended voting against the bill.

     We are interested in knowing your reasons for opposing these very

basic protections for one of our most fundamental constitutional

rights.  Congress has already committed the federal government to

these same standards, and eighteen other states have done so as well.

Your constituents,

James and Linda Milliken

To: Maine State Senator Dick Woodbury, 1 Feb 2014-

Dear Senator Woodbury,

After you stated that you were inclined to agree with the majority of the

Judiciary Committee to vote against LD 1428, we asked you to please explain

why you would be opposed to this bill (see e-mails below). We have not

heard back from you.  We are sure that you are very busy, and we are

writing again in case you may have accidentally missed our last

communication.

LD 1428 simply requires that the state show a "compelling government

interest" before restricting the religious freedom of its citizens, and

that it use "the least restrictive means" to do so, if such a compelling

interest is found.

We are very concerned that the Maine Judiciary Committee does not seem

inclined to protect our fundamental religious freedom guaranteed by the

Constitution. We would very much appreciate hearing from you as to why you

would agree with them.

Respectfully,

James and Linda Milliken