FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
July 6, 2015
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
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ALABAMA JOINS 14 STATES IN CALLING ON CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO
PROTECT TAX EXEMPT STATUS OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN WAKE
OF OBERGEFELL V HODGES DECISION
(MONTGOMERY) – Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange signed a letter along
with Attorneys General from 14 other states to congressional leaders, calling on
Congress to protect the tax exempt status of religious organizations following the
Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Obergefell v Hodges declaring states’ bans on
same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
In a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and U.S. House Speaker
John Boehner, dated July 2, 2015, Attorney General Strange and fellow Attorneys
General expressed concern that the Internal Revenue Service may deny tax-exempt
status to religious groups in the wake of the Obergefell v Hodges decision.
“Under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, citizens have the right to
exercise their religion freely without government pressure to change their minds or
penalties for unpopular beliefs,” the Attorneys General wrote. “The U.S. Solicitor
General recently indicated, however, that the federal government might decide based
on Obergefell that certain religious organizations no longer qualify as tax-exempt
organizations under the Internal Revenue Code and also that contributions to these
organizations are not deductible as charitable contributions. We take very seriously the
religious freedom of our States’ citizens and believe that Congress should take action
now to preclude the IRS from targeting religious groups in this way.”
In addition to Attorney General Strange, the letter was signed by the chief legal officers
of the states of West Virginia, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana,
Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
A copy of the letter may be found at http://www.ago.alabama.gov/File-Religious-Liberty-Letter.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
