Nebraska governor signs bill protecting religious freedom, donor privacy
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen regarding Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s signing Wednesday of LB 43, a bill that includes provisions to ensure that Nebraskans are free to live and work according to their faith without fear of unjust government punishment and to protect the private information of individuals who support charities and other nonprofit organizations of their choice:
“Americans should be free to defend their rights when the government stops them from living and worshiping according to their faith. This law provides a sensible balancing test for courts to use when reviewing government policies and actions that infringe the religious freedom rights of Nebraskans. The law doesn’t determine who will win every disagreement, but it does ensure that every citizen—regardless of their religious beliefs—receives a fair hearing when government action forces a person to violate his or her faith. We commend the Nebraska Legislature and Gov. Pillen for enacting this important legislation and setting the stage to ensure that freedom of religion is protected for everyone. Nebraska joins 26 other states in guaranteeing that people of all faith can seek relief from oppressive state action.”
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Zack Pruitt :
“Every American should be free to peacefully support causes they believe in without fear of harassment or intimidation. This provision within the bill is an important step in guaranteeing privacy protections for all Nebraskans in a manner consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Thomas More Law Center v. Bonta, which affirmed that the First Amendment’s promise of ‘free association’ includes the right to privacy in financial giving. We thank the Nebraska Legislature for passing this critical legislation and Gov. Pillen for signing the bill into law in order to safeguard the ability of Nebraskans to give freely and privately without unnecessary government interference.”
- Pronunciation guide: Chafuen (CHAFF’-wen)
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Greg Chafuen
Greg Chafuen serves as legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom’s Center for Legislative Advocacy. He focuses on legislation impacting religious liberty at the state level. Prior to joining ADF, Chafuen spent three years as a white-collar defense litigator at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in Washington, D.C. and one year as a law clerk to the Hon. Alice Batchelder on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Chafuen earned his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, graduating cum laude in 2015. While at Notre Dame, he served as president of the Notre Dame chapter of the Federalist Society, a member of a journal’s editorial board, and a member of the moot court board. He is a 2013 Blackstone Fellow and a Rumsfeld Foundation Fellow. Chafuen is admitted to the bars of Virginia and Washington, D.C.
ABOUT Zack Pruitt
Zack Pruitt serves as senior counsel and director of U.S. government relations at Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, he promotes ADF's policy and legislative work at the national level on behalf of the broader ADF legislative advocacy team. As a principal strategist, Pruitt oversees the federal and state government relations teams and provides legal counsel regarding ADF’s core issues to state officials, members and staff of the U.S. Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. Prior to joining ADF, Pruitt served as senior policy analyst at Americans for Prosperity and director of public policy for the Family Action Council of Tennessee. Pruitt earned his Juris Doctor with a certificate in International and Comparative Law from St. Louis University School of Law. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is member of the state bar in Tennessee and the District of Columbia and is also admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court.