Two Upcoming Student-Led Events Focus On Faith
Two upcoming events give Christian students an opportunity to be public witnesses for Christ. On Wednesday, September 25, 2019, students will observe See You at the Pole day by gathering at their schools’ flagpoles for prayer. According to SYATP.com, See You at the Pole™ “began in 1990 as a grass roots movement with ten students…
NYCF’s September Prayer Needs
During the month of September, 2019, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms covets the prayers of our friends and supporters in the following areas: That the fall events held by our affiliate organization, New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation, will be well-attended and edifying; That the Lord will continue to bless our efforts to renovate our ministry…
State Accepting Comment Regarding Substantial Equivalency Regulations
Proposed regulations that have been issued by the New York State Education Department threaten the continued existence of Christian schools here in the Empire State. According to Section 3204 of the Education Law, “[i]nstruction given to a minor elsewhere than at a public school shall be at least substantially equivalent” to the instruction that student…
Leftists Plan Leap Year Lurch
Between the Abortion Act, the Bathroom Bill, and the raft of other radical bills that passed in Albany this year, you might think that the political left would be satisfied with its efforts and ease up a bit next year. You would be wrong. Instead, progressives are looking to lurch our state even further left…
New Gun Law Limits Security Possibilities For Private Schools
A new gun control law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month limits the freedom of schools—including Christian schools—in the area of safety and security. Prior to the passage of this new law, carrying a firearm on school grounds was illegal for most New Yorkers. However, there were exceptions. One such exception allowed schools to…
NYCF’s July 2019 Prayer And Praise Report
New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms asks our brothers and sisters in Christ to remember the following thanksgivings and petitions in their prayers during the month of July. We praise and thank the Lord for preventing the legalization of physician-assisted suicide, paid surrogacy, and recreational marijuana in New York in 2019; We ask the Lord to…
Gay-Rights Group Urges Constitutional Amendment
It has been a while since the U.S. Constitution was amended. In fact, it has been 27 years. The Constitution was most recently amended in 1992, when the 27th Amendment (providing that a law changing congressional salaries cannot take effect until after the next election to the House of Representatives has taken place) was ratified.…
New York’s 2019 Vaccination Law Affects Christian Schools
On June 13, 2019, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Bill S.2994-A-Hoylman/A.2371-A-Dinowitz into law. The law went into effect immediately. This legislation, now known as Chapter 35 of the Laws of 2019, repealed the previously-existing exemption to child vaccination requirements for parents with religious objections to vaccinations. Many are asking how this new law will affect private…
Trump Administration Takes Additional Action On Life And Liberty
The deeply divided and hyperpartisan nature of the current Congress makes it difficult to pass meaningful legislation in Washington, D.C. However, the Trump administration continues to take executive actions to advance principles of life and liberty. Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new rule “that would increase protections…
Nassau County Eyes Clergy Tax Exemption
Did you know that New York law provides a partial property tax exemption for residences owned by pastors and other members of the clergy? Real Property Tax Law Section 460 provides that residential real estate owned by an active member of the clergy, by a former member of the clergy who is unable to perform…
Legislative Session Enters Last Lap
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has laid out his priorities for the remainder of the state legislative session, which is scheduled to end on June 19. As usual, the Governor’s priorities are questionable at best. However, his words offer some encouraging signs for Christian New Yorkers. On May 28, Gov. Cuomo stated that his end-of-session priorities include…
The ‘Compromised Three’ Failed Their Constituents
New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms has previously reported that the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), passed the so-called Equality Act on May 17, 2019. The vote was 236-173. This misguided bill would compromise religious freedom in an effort to perpetuate lies about homosexuality and transgenderism. Eight House Republicans crossed party lines…
New Hope Family Services May Be Heading To Appeal
On May 16, 2019, U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino dismissed the federal lawsuit filed by New Hope Family Services. New Hope Family Services, a Christian adoption agency based in Syracuse, had sued to challenge state regulations requiring agencies not to “discriminate” on the basis of marital status or sexual orientation in connection with adoption placements.…
Bethany Christian Services Compromises Biblical Principles
Proverbs 24:10: “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” The topic of today’s Albany Update is compromise. In some circumstances, compromise is a good thing. Philippians 2:4 says, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others”. As Christians seek to live…
Pro-Abortion Politicians Seek To Silence Pro-Life Speech
Christians and other pro-life individuals across New York and the nation were horrified when the so-called Reproductive Health Act became law in January 2019. That horror turned to outrage when Gov. Andrew Cuomo lit One World Trade Center in pink to celebrate his “victory.” To make matters worse, New York has enacted an abortion pill…
Court Rules Favorably In Private School Case
Christian schools and other nonpublic schools recently won an important case in a state trial court in Albany. On April 17, 2019, State Supreme Court Justice Christina Ryba found that so-called “guidelines” issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in November 2018 regarding the monitoring of nonpublic schools violated state law. On that…