Florida Officials Settle Lawsuit with Faith-Based Charity Organization

An agreement has been reached between Florida officials and the Association of Faith-Based Organizations that will allow civil servants to donate to faith based charities, if they choose. The Christian legal organization, Alliance Defense Fund, announced the settlement on its website, www.alliancedefensefund.org, in a press release Friday.

The Alliance Defense Fund and Christian Legal Society had filed the suit last April, claiming the Florida State Employees' Charitable Campaign had wrongfully excluded civil servants from the chance to give to religious charities as a part of the campaign.

"Civil servants should not be prevented from donating their own money to faith-based charities, if they choose to do so," Casey Mattox, litigation counsel for Christian Legal Society's Center for Law and Religious Freedom was quoted as saying in the press release.

Under the Florida State Employees' Charitable Campaign, state employees voluntarily contribute payroll deductions to participating charities. Before the settlement of the lawsuit, however, Florida officials had not allowed faith-based charities, or charities that were "primarily religious," in nature, from participating.

Under the terms of the settlement of the lawsuit, Florida officials have adopted new regulations that will not prohibit faith-based charities from participating in the program.

Mattox said the settlement reached with Florida officials will "protect the constitutional rights of faith-base charities and state employees who contribute to their work." He applauded the state for working to solve the problem.

When the suit was filed, Christian Legal Society Chief Litigation Counsel Steven H. Aden pointed out that no Florida employee was compelled to give through the Florida State Employees' Charitable Campaign to any charity, whether of a religious nature or not. He said that would not change if faith-based charities would be allowed to participate.