John Hostettler: “In 1962, in Engel v. Vitale, the United States Supreme Court said, 14 years before the attorneys fees award act was put…”

“In 1962, in Engel v. Vitale, the United States Supreme Court said, 14 years before the attorneys fees award act was put into place, that the state sanctioning of prayer in public schools was unconstitutional. In 1963, 13 years before the attorneys fees award acts came into play, the United States Supreme Court held it was unconstitutional to have Bible reading in public schools. This will not change anything from what happened before this law was created that we are amending today. The same things will happen. And this bill, most importantly, does not remove injunctive relief. If it is the desire of the plaintiff to stop an activity or to remove a monument or remove a display, this bill does nothing to stop that from taking place. The injunctive relief available in all of these cases continues to be available in establishment clause cases. And, in fact, the court can say, remove the monument, stop the practice. This bill does not change that, and I want to make that clarification.”