AR HCR1005

Proclaims January 16, 2023, as "Religious Freedom Day" in Arkansas to honor the anniversary of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom's enactment on January 16, 1786

Affirms that religious freedom is a fundamental human right protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which safeguards the right to express and act peacefully on religious beliefs and protects individuals from coercion to profess beliefs they do not hold

References historical statements from Thomas Jefferson, the Founding Fathers, and multiple U.S. Presidents (Franklin D. Roosevelt, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama) emphasizing the importance of religious freedom to American democracy and governance

Recognizes that religion plays a central role in preserving the U.S. Government by providing the moral foundation required for democracy to succeed and that faith is an integral part of daily life for countless Americans

Establishes that the role of religion in American society and public life has a long and robust tradition worthy of commemoration and protection