Greitens reverses religious group policy

Gov. Eric Greitens yesterday announced he's reversing a state policy aimed at preventing religious groups from receiving aid via tax dollars.

His decision comes a week ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court hearing arguments in the Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer case. The lawsuit takes aim at a 2012 decision by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to deny the Columbia church a grant to replace gravel with safer material at its playground.

An amendment to Missouri's constitution says no money “shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion.”

“We have hundreds of outstanding religious organizations all over the state of Missouri who are doing great work on behalf of kids and families every single day,” Greitens said in a statement announcing the decision. “We should be encouraging that work. So, today we are changing that prejudiced policy.”

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