Introduced
by
To provide explicit statutory authorization for state agencies and departments to contract with religious, community, or nonprofit organizations to administer social services programs. The bill would create a charitable choice community-based facilitator's office in the Department of Management and Budget to evaluate and report on government collaborations with these organizations, including the number and type of such collaborations, and information on the training and education requirements of successful collaborations. It would also assist and monitor the organizations involved in government collaborations. The bill declares it to be the intent of the legislature to prohibit discrimination against religious, community, and nonprofit organizations in the distribution of social services, or impair their religious character, while also protecting the religious freedom of clients, and allowing them to choose services from these organizations in a manner consistent with the free exercise and establishment clauses of the United States Constitution.
Referred to the Committee on Families and Childrens Services
