Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued an executive order Monday, making Oklahoma "the nation’s strongest defender of religious liberty," according to a news release from Stitt’s office. OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued an executive order Monday, making Oklahoma "the nation’s strongest defender of religious liberty," according to a news release from Stitt’s office. The executive order comes just one month ahead of the United States Supreme Court hearing oral arguments over what could be Oklahoma’s first publicly-funded religious charter school. What the religious freedom executive order does Directs state agencies to eliminate laws, regulations, and policies that "exclude religious individuals or institutions from public programs, funds or benefits. Mandates a full review and revision of any state law or regulations that "exclude religious entities," including public education, arts, or historical preservation programs. The order follows the state’s 2023 amendment to Oklahoma’s Religious Freedom Act, which says denying access to government programs based solely on religion inhibits the free exercise of religion. State-funded religious school heads to U.S. Supreme Court Last June, Oklahoma’s top court held by a 7-1 vote that a taxpayer-funded religious charter school would violate the part of the First Amendment that prohibits the government […]

By : Markus McDowell