JACKSON — A plan for Mississippi’s governor to set up an advisory council on faith-based initiatives is moving ahead in the Legislature.
Senators voted 37-7 Tuesday to approve Senate Bill 2514 . It creates the framework for the council, which Gov. Phil Bryant requested in his State of the State speech.
The measure moves to the House, which is considering its own proposal.
Sen. Jenifer Branning, a Philadelphia Republican, says supporters of the measure believe some social problems can be better addressed by using non-government resources. She says the council will “open the lines of communication” between religious groups and the governor’s office.
Some senators questioned whether the bill would violate constitutional prohibitions against establishing religion, but Branning says the bill specifically bans such moves.
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