Preamble
We, the people of the State of
Article I, section
2
No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws;
nor shall any person be denied the enjoyment of his civil or political rights or
be discriminated against in the exercise thereof because of religion, race,
color or national origin. The legislature shall implement this section by
appropriate legislation.
Article I, section
4
Every person shall be at liberty to worship God according
to the dictates of his own conscience. No person shall be compelled to attend,
or, against his consent, to contribute to the erection or support of any place
of religious worship, or to pay tithes, taxes or other rates for the support of
any minister of the gospel or teacher of religion. No money shall be
appropriated or drawn from the treasury for the benefit of any religious sect or
society, theological or religious seminary; nor shall property belonging to the
state be appropriated for any such purpose. The civil and political rights,
privileges and capacities of no person shall be diminished or enlarged on
account of his religious belief.
Article I, section
18
No person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness on
account of his opinions on matters of religious belief.
Article VII, section
1
Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good
government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education
shall forever be encouraged.
Article VII, section
2
The legislature shall maintain and support a system of free
public elementary and secondary schools as defined by law. Every school district
shall provide for the education of its pupils without discrimination as to
religion, creed, race, color or national origin.
No public monies or property shall be appropriated or paid
or any public credit utilized, by the legislature or any other political
subdivision or agency of the state directly or indirectly to aid or maintain any
private, denominational or other nonpublic, pre-elementary, elementary, or
secondary school. No payment, credit, tax benefit, exemption or deductions,
tuition voucher, subsidy, grant or loan of public monies or property shall be
provided, directly or indirectly, to support the attendance of any student or
the employment of any person at any such nonpublic school or at any location or
institution where instruction is offered in whole or in part to such nonpublic
school students. The legislature may provide for the transportation of students
to and from any school.
Article IX, section
4
Property owned and occupied by non-profit religious or
educational organizations and used exclusively for religious or educational
purposes, as defined by law, shall be exempt from real and personal property
taxes.