HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HJR 4206

Providing a chaplain for state employees             Public Hrg: 2/18/97 

Brief Title

Reps. Chandler/Linville/Sump                              Staff Contact: M. Spiro

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-5793

BACKGROUND:

Under Article I, Sec. 11 of the Washington State Constitution no public money or property may be appropriated or used for any religious worship, exercise, or instruction, or for the support of any religious establishment.  A chaplain, however, may be employed by the state for its custodial, correctional, and mental institutions, or by a county=s or public hospital district=s hospital, health care facility, or hospice as is deemed justified by the Legislature. 

As originally adopted in 1889, Article I, Sec. 11 provided no exceptions to the prohibition against the appropriation or use of public money or property for religious purposes.  In 1904, however, Article I, Sec. 11 was amended to allow the state to employ a chaplain for the state penitentiary and any state reformatories as deemed to be justified by the Legislature.  This section was amended again in 1957, replacing state Apenitentiaries@ and Areformatories@ with state Acustodial, correctional, and mental institutions.@  In 1993, Article I, Sec. 11 was amended a third time to allow a chaplain to be employed by a county=s or public hospital district=s hospital, health care facility, or hospice as deemed to be justified by the Legislature. 

An amendment to a state constitutional provision must be agreed to by two-thirds of the elected members of both houses of the Legislature, and it must be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval at the next general election. 

SUMMARY:

The constitutional provision precluding the appropriation of public money for religious purposes is amended to allow a chaplain to be employed by the state or a county, city, town, or special district for law enforcement agencies, fire suppression agencies, or emergency medical response agencies as deemed to be justified by the Legislature.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not Requested.