ND governor signs bill protecting churches from discrimination during emergencies
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen regarding North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s signing into law Monday of Senate Bill 2181, which ensures that churches and other religious organizations are allowed to remain open during a state of emergency on at least the same terms as businesses and other secular services:
“Houses of worship and religious organizations provide soul-sustaining operations that are essential to our society and protected by the First Amendment. While public officials have the authority and responsibility to protect public health and safety, the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that the First Amendment ‘cannot be put away and forgotten’ even in a pandemic. This means that the government can’t treat churches worse than shopping centers, restaurants, or gyms without violating the Constitution. We commend North Dakota for making it clear that officials can’t use a public crisis to discriminate against religious operations while promoting secular ones, and we encourage other states to pursue similar legislation.”
- Pronunciation guide: Chafuen (CHAFF’-wen)
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Greg Chafuen
Greg Chafuen serves as senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom’s Center for Public Policy. He crafts legislation and advises government officials on policies that promote religious liberty and other civil rights. Since joining ADF in 2020, Chafuen has authored state and federal legislation defending fundamental civil rights. He regularly provides testimony and legal analysis on how proposed legislation will impact constitutional freedoms and advises lawmakers and policy organizations on the importance of laws and policies that protect First Amendment rights. Prior to joining ADF, Chafuen spent three years as a white-collar defense litigator at a prominent law firm in Washington, D.C. and one year as a law clerk to the Hon. Alice Batchelder on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Chafuen earned his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, graduating cum laude in 2015. While at Notre Dame, he served as president of the Notre Dame chapter of the Federalist Society. Chafuen is admitted to the bars of Virginia and Washington, D.C.