SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION F

April 25, 2019, Introduced by Senator LUCIDO and referred to the Committee on Education and Career Readiness.

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state constitution of 1963, by amending section 4 of article I and section 2 of article VIII, to allow certain deductions or credits for nonpublic K-12 educational expenses from state income tax.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state constitution of 1963, to allow certain deductions or credits for nonpublic K-12 educational expenses from state income tax, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people of the state:

ARTICLE I

Sec. 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.

This section does not prohibit the state from providing an income tax deduction or credit for nonpublic K-12 educational expenses.

ARTICLE VIII

Sec. 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.

Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be submitted to the people of the state at the next general election in the manner provided by law.