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Public Policy for Humanism

Welcome to the Public Policy pages of the Institute for Humanist Studies website. This is where we provide you with important, up-to-the-moment information on political developments that profoundly affect the lives of humanists everywhere.

IHS Legislative Liaison Jennifer Lange offers analysis of church-state issues nationally as well as current bills in the New York state legislature, where she is a registered humanist lobbyist.

Jennifer Lange monitors the courts, Congress, and other political institutions to keep you abreast of the latest developments in religious freedom issues and other relevant subject matter. Please feel free to e-mail us with your concerns if you believe some political controversy or impending legislation needs coverage. We especially welcome communications that would increase our local attention to current events in New York state.

The Institute for Humanist Studies Public Policy program began in 2002. Tim Gordinier, Ph.D., was the first registered lobbyist for humanism in the United States. Gordinier served as director of public policy at IHS for four years. The Institute for Humanist Studies is a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America, a national 501(c)4 that employs a full-time Congressional lobbyist for humanism.

For a more in-depth exploration of the relationship between government and religion, see Gordinier's free online course LAP100: Religion and the Constitution in the Continuum of Humanist Education (COHE).

Legislative Alert

IHS Legislative Advocacy Day

Freethinking residents from New York state are invited to attend the first ever IHS Legislative Advocacy Day. The all day event will occur in Albany on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008 which is also Darwin Day (an international celebration of Charles Darwin's birthday). To find out more about this event or to get involved, click here.

IHS Opposes "Religious Excuse Act" in NYS

Top ranking New York state politicians are pushing for legislation that grants special privileges for religion, discriminates against the nonreligious, and pits one religion against another. To find out more about this legislation, what IHS is doing to stop it, and how you can help, click here.