A number of new bills could raise social, ethical or moral concerns for Baptists and other Christians. Nor will all Baptists share the same opinions about the bills listed. Nevertheless, here are some legislative issues that will bear watching in the coming year. All versions call for profits to be used for education, but in differing ways. Many Baptists oppose a lottery, believing that the state has no business in sponsoring gambling and encouraging its citizens, through widespread advertising, to gamble.
Statistics reveal that lotteries prey on the poor, largely for the benefit of the non-poor.
Death penalty - Senate bill 109 would set minimum standards for defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges in death penalty cases. Bill S 172 calls for a moratorium on all executions pending further review, while S 173 and H 141 call for an end to the death penalty for persons who are mentally retarded. Infant homicide prevention - Bills S 252 and H 275 would decriminalize the act of abandoning a baby if the mother leaves the child with a responsible caretaker or public agency. Authors of the bill hope this would save the lives of babies who are otherwise abandoned without anyone to care for them. Safe storage of firearms - Bill H 320 would expand requirements for safe storage of firearms to include all gun owners, not just those who have children living in the home.