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WEST VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION Acknowledgment of God None
Religion
Clauses Article III, section 11. Political tests,
requiring persons, as a prerequisite to the enjoyment of their civil and political
rights, to purge themselves by their own oaths, of past alleged offences, are
repugnant to the principles of free government, and are cruel and oppressive.
No religious or political test oath shall be required as a prerequisite or qualification
to vote, serve as a juror, sue, plead, appeal, or pursue any profession or employment.
Nor shall any person be deprived by law, of any right, or privilege, because of
any act done prior to the passage of such law.
Article III,
section 15. No man shall be compelled to frequent or support
any religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever; nor shall any man be enforced,
restrained, molested or burthened, in his body or goods, or otherwise suffer,
on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess
and by argument, to maintain their opinions in matters of religion; and the same
shall, in nowise, affect, diminish or enlarge their civil capacities; and the
Legislature shall not prescribe any religious test whatever, or confer any peculiar
privileges or advantages on any sect or denomination, or pass any law requiring
or authorizing any religious society, or the people of any district within this
state, to levy on themselves, or others, any tax for the erection or repair of
any house for public worship, or for the support of any church or ministry, but
it shall be left free for every person to select his religious instructor, and
to make for his support, such private contracts as he shall please.
Education
Article III, section 15(a). Public schools
shall provide a designated brief time at the beginning of each school day for
any student desiring to exercise their right to personal and private contemplation,
meditation or prayer. No student of a public school may be denied the right to
personal and private contemplation, meditation or prayer nor shall any student
be required or encouraged to engage in any given contemplation, meditation or
prayer as a part of the school curriculum.
Finance/Property
Tax Article X, section 1. Subject to the exceptions
in this section contained, taxation shall be equal and uniform throughout the
state, and all property, both real and personal, shall be taxed in proportion
to its value to be ascertained as directed by law. . . . [P]roperty used for educational,
literary, scientific, religious or charitable purposes, all cemeteries, public
property, the personal property, including livestock, employed exclusively in
agriculture as above defined and the products of agriculture as so defined while
owned by the producers may by law be exempted from taxation . . . .
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