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<p>As we have not shared HAC's mailing list with the Secular
Coalition for Connecticut, I am instead sharing this request with
our announce list.<br>
</p>
<p>Most of Connecticut's 21 official oaths have already been
modified to meet the standard set by the Supreme Court in 1961.
This bill takes care of the remaining 6. The bill shouldn't be
controversial, but it's not terribly exciting or well-known, so it
could really use some support. Please consider contacting your
legislators as requested below.</p>
<p>This bill is close to my heart, as I was once a very
uncomfortable notary.</p>
<p>Thank you for your consideration,</p>
<p>-Carol Siddall<br>
President, Humanist Association of Connecticut<br>
</p>
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<div style="text-align:center"><b>PLEASE ask both your State
Senator and State Representative to Co-Sponsor S.B. 484.</b></div>
<div style="text-align:center">See the sample email below.</div>
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<div><b>Bill link at CGA:</b> <a
href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2019&bill_num=484"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2019&bill_num=484</a></div>
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<div>Attached are the bill texts and other information in
support of the bill</div>
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<div>Here is a link to find your legislators: <a
href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp</a></div>
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<div><font color="#0000ff"><b><u>Sample email or phone
call:</u></b></font></div>
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<div>Senator or Representative [insert last name],</div>
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<div>I am one of your constituents at [insert street
address], one of perhaps 42 percent of your constituents
that are non-religious.</div>
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<div> I request that you consider co-sponsoring Senate
Bill 484, AN ACT CONCERNING THE FORM OF OATHS -To make
the form of oaths consistent. <a
href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00484&which_year=2019"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00484&which_year=2019</a></div>
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<div>Connecticut has 21 oaths explicitly defined in
statute. Fifteen of them are universal, inclusive oaths
starting and ending with “I solemnly swear or affirm, as
the case may be…so help me God or under penalty of
perjury. ”Most of them were changed to that form in a
bill in 2002, yet 6 of them were not changed to conform
to that standard.</div>
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<div>The 6 that remain are exclusive, they require
everyone to swear and say only “so help me God.” To
take a meaningful oath in those cases a non-religious
person must “out” themselves and ask for an alternate
oath. That asking and outing was ruled unconstitutional
by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1961.</div>
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<div>It is time to change that. I have attached some
additional information, including text of the submitted
bill which is more detailed than the current official
bill.</div>
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<div>Please let me know if you will co-sponsor or decline
to co-sponsor S.B. 484.</div>
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<div>Thanks,</div>
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<div><i>[insert your name]</i></div>
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<div>-- </div>
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<div>Patrick McCann</div>
<div>Chair - <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/Secular-Coalition-for-Connecticut-185961478196975/"
moz-do-not-send="true">Secular Coalition for
Connecticut</a></div>
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