A Florida Appeals Court has asked the state's Supreme Court to answer "whether the no-aid provision in…the Florida Constitution prohibits the state from contracting for the provision of necessary social services by religious or sectarian entities."
AP has more:
The appeal court Tuesday also refused to rehear a ruling by a three-judge 1st District panel that the no-aid provision prohibits spending taxpayer money on programs that use religious doctrine to carry out their work for the state.
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District Judge William A. Van Nortwick Jr. wrote that the justices should decide the matter because the appeal court's ruling is "the first instance in which the Florida no-aid provision has been applied outside of the school context and because our decision could affect the manner in which the state contracts for social services."If the Supreme Court agrees, the ruling could invalidate contracts with faith-based organizations as well as two other school voucher programs.
In the ruling yesterday (pdf), Nortwick's opinion deems the argument that the "no-aid to religion" provision applies only in school settings to be in error.
