A proposed bill in Colorado to prevent faith-based organizations that receive government money from
basing hiring decisions on applicants’ beliefs has died after religious leaders threatened to stop delivering
government-funded human services. The bill created such a stir in Colorado that House Majority Leader
Alice Madden (D-Boulder), who introduced the bill in January, decided last week to table the measure for the
current session that ends this spring. Instead, Colorado Gov. Bob Ritter plans to summon both supporters
and opponents of the bill to a summer meeting to find common language.

The bill would have changed a law the Colorado legislature passed last year to prevent discrimination in hiring
based on sexual orientation or religion. The law exempted religious and nonprofit organizations, and the now-defunct
bill sought to eliminate the exemption. Under current law, religious organizations are allowed to employ staff based
on their religious beliefs or affiliations. Whether a consensus between supporters and opponents of the bill can be
found for legislation in 2009 remains uncertain.

The Colorado controversy over religious hiring rights is similar to a debate at the national level in the U.S. Congress.
The landmark 1996 welfare reform act exempted religious groups from non-discrimination hiring provisions and
Congress has subsequently passed other bills with exemptions in individual federal programs. Attempts to extend
the exemptions to more programs have created controversy in Congress and failed in recent years.

Click here to read more by Roundtable Washington Correspondent Anne Farris.

Click here to access the Roundtable's Resource Page on hiring rights of religious organizations.

President Bush Touts Faith-Based Efforts to Fight Disease in Africa

In his current tour of five African countries, President George W. Bush has repeatedly praised the role
that faith-based organizations are playing in meeting governments’ objectives of reducing poverty and
life-threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria. The President has made frequent reference to two
efforts of his Administration – the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President’s Malaria
Initiative – which a White House statement describes as representing "massive-scale implementation of
President Bush’s vision for his Faith-Based and Community Initiative.” According to the White House,
"PEPFAR and PMI (place) unprecedented focus on building the capacity of local organizations, including
faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs), to plan, implement, and manage sustainable prevention
programs.” The President’s trip has also focused attention on a particularly controversial aspect of his
PEPFAR plan – a requirement that one-third of funding through the program go to programs that promote
abstinence-only-until-marriage. Critics have charged that programs to fight the spread of AIDS require a more
comprehensive approach which includes discussion of other prevention methods, such as condom use.
Congress is expected to begin a renewed debate on the funding issue later this month.

Click here for a news roundup of stories about the President's trip.

Click here for a previous Roundtable new story on PEPFAR.

Weekly Digest of Federal Grants with Faith-Based and Community
Organization Eligibility

The grant opportunities this week for community and faith-based organizations are through programs
administered by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs,
the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Potential applicants should be aware that some grant programs require specific technical expertise, or
experience in particular foreign countries.

Click here for the grants digest.

Roundtable Digest of Current Faith-Based News Stories

Faith-based effort aims to keep kids out of gangs
The Grand Rapids Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7739

Lots of optimism over homelessness plan
The Wichita Eagle (Kansas)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7740

Muslim-Catholic pact to foster respect
The Philadelphia Inquirer

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7741

Abortion Battle Brews Between Spitzer, Church
The New York Sun

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7751

Churches weigh in on same-sex marriage
The San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7752

Ministry to give inmates new start: Without help, many return to old ways
Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Kentucky)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7742

Mitchell students offered exams; Insurance firm will assess risk behaviors, mental health issues
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7743

JIFF to provide productive facility for juvenile offenders in $3.5 million HQ
Memphis Business Journal (Tennessee)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7744

Center offers hand to those who fall through cracks
Flint Journal (Michigan)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7745

Graying flocks confront challenges
Pittsburgh Tribune Review

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7746

Bringing warmth into their lives
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7747

Churches try to impress couples with seriousness of marriage
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7748

2 groups vying to aid homeless They submit proposals for operating planned day shelter
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7749

Grassley's tax probe draws wrath of televangelists
Des Moines Register

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7750

Mission project to Haiti grows and grows and . . .
The Pueblo Chieftain (Colorado)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7754

More help for families in foreclosure
North County Times (Escondido, California)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7755

Two Sides Testify on Same-Sex Marriage
Washington Post

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7753

LDS Church asks lawmakers to weigh morality, ethics in immigration reforms
The Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7756

End-homelessness movement fetes couple
Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7757

Governor vetoes capital outlay bill
The Associated Press

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7760

Turlock Takes Step 1 To House Homeless; City Council Decides To Draft A Request For A Type Of Transitional Facility
Modesto Bee

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7761

As re-entry program faces a clouded future, so do ex-inmates
The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7762

Congress Considers Workplace Freedom Bill -- Again
Religion News Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7764

Private Money Dominates Foreign Aid
PR Newswire

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7770

Tech professor awarded $250K
The News-Star (Monroe, Louisiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7763

U.N.-Report: Fight Against Genital Mutilation Is Making Gains
IPS - Inter Press Service

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7758

Faith in medicine
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Indiana)

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/article.cfm?id=7759

Weekly Opinion Roundup - 2/19/2008
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy

http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/news/news_opinion_2_19_08.cfm