20 hours Ago
State legislators Pazina, Neal, Flores, Scheible, Krasner, Roth, and Nguyen introduced the bill. It allows religious displays in residential areas, so long as they are larger than 12 inches by 36 inches. Such articles are frequently used in cultural and religious practices and, in particular, during rites of worship.
Religious Symbols Have To Be Treated With Respect
Unlike other such measures in other states, Nevada's SB 201 takes it one step farther by requiring home maintenance workers treat a religious display with respect. The items have to be put away very nicely by maintenance workers and brought back in without desecrating them.
Samir Kalra, the managing director of the Hindu American Foundation, said the law represented a significant barrier for Hindus in Nevada to practice their faith and welcome guests with traditional symbols such as the toran. "This bill is a huge win… to bless their homes, and everyone who comes into their homes," he added.
Bipartisan and Interfaith Support for the Bill
The bill, supported by the Hindu American Foundation and the Anti-Defamation League, was approved in the Senate on April 18 and in the Assembly on May 23. Desert regional director of the anti-Defamation League Jolie Brislin applauded the bipartisan legislation, saying it is for the benefit of all faith based communities by ensuring their right to have faith at home is safe-guarded.
SB201 also amends the provisions in Chapter 116 of the Nevada Revised Statutes that had prohibited homeowners' associations and rental agreements from imposing such restrictions. Today, landlords and association boards are not allowed to prohibit religious symbols from being on display in spaces that are only accessible to residents.
This law will help foster a more inclusive and respectful Nevada for diverse communities of our state especially as families prepare to celebrate Diwali this October."
