Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Texas Department of Housing and Community Development, his second lawsuit in as many weeks that targets a state agency for practices he says discriminate against religious groups.
Organizations that receive state funds to help homeless people or support housing programs through the department are not permitted to engage in religious activities within those programs. Paxton argues this rule is unconstitutional and forces religious organizations to alter or abandon core elements of their faith.
“State agencies have no authority to force Christians and other religious organizations to censor their beliefs just to serve their communities,” Paxton said in a news release. “Constitutionally protected religious liberty must be upheld in Texas and across the country. These TDHCA’s provisions within certain programs, which deter funding from going towards churches and religious organizations, must be struck down.”
The housing department did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Most of the affordable housing projects in Texas go through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Development. The agency also doles out state and federal funding to combat homelessness.
Some of the state agency’s programs include: the Emergency Solutions Grants Program; the Homeless Housing and Services Program; the Ending Homelessness Fund; the HOME American Rescue Plan; and the Housing Stability Services Program.
Paxton highlighted these and the Bootstrap Loan Program in his lawsuit because the rules say none of the money can “be used for sectarian or explicitly religious activities such as worship, religious instruction or proselytization.”
The lawsuit does not provide examples of where religious organizations were barred from receiving these dollars, nor does it name someone who was harmed by this rule.
Last week, Paxton filed a lawsuit against Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to put an end to three university work-study programs that he says unconstitutionally discriminate against religious students.
Paxton — who is running to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn — said he is going to strike down any Texas provisions that “undermine religious liberty” and affect funding opportunities based on religious views.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
