Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) for religious discrimination this week.
According to a press release, Paxton argues that the TDHCA's regulations are unconstitutional because they “discriminate against religious entities solely because they are religious.”
“State agencies have no authority to force Christians and other religious organizations to censor their beliefs just to serve their communities,” said Attorney General Paxton.
Paxton filed the suit because of TDHCA regulations in its programs. Specifically, he highlighted its homelessness programs and the Bootstrap Loan Program. According to the lawsuit, the TDHCA and its Executive Director “expressly condition receipt of state funds on critical religious and theological choices.”
Organizations that receive TDHCA funding must agree to use the funds for nonsectarian reasons. This means that the funds cannot be used for explicitly religious reasons.
The lawsuit references the Free Exercise Clause Amendment in the US Constitution that prohibits laws the prevent funding based on religious beliefs.
Paxton filed a similar lawsuit earlier this month against several work-study programs that allegedly violate the Constitution.
“Constitutionally protected religious liberty must be upheld in Texas and across the country. These TDHCA’s provisions within certain programs, which deter funding from going towards churches and religious organizations, must be struck down,” said Paxton.
