2017 SJR 28: Proposal for protection of religious organizations

What SJR 28 does

Senate Joint Resolution No. 28 was proposed by Senator Girod.  This proposes an new section in Article XV, entitled Miscellaneous of the Oregon State Constitution.  This proposed amendment would limit non-economic damages in lawsuits against Federally tax-exempt religious organizations to $500,000.

My View

If you have read my previous posts here and here, you know what is coming.  The dollar value limit is a problem in the long run.  Also, for the protection afforded here, there is actually, unlike in the case of health service providers, no good case to say that religious organization truly have some special function that would merit it.  This seems motivated by current media stories with regards to awards circulating in the media for cases against the Catholic Church and other organizations of sexual abuse.  My suspicion is that those people who run religious organization do so for other than financial reasons, so there isn't a disincentive to forming religious organizations because of the fact that there is no liability cap.  My opinion on this bill is a no.