By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) – Knox County Commission is looking at adopting a written policy on prayer before meetings.
It's a move officials hope will protect them against lawsuits, like the one Hamilton County Commission is facing in federal court. Two citizens there sued to stop pre-meeting prayers.
During commission's regular session meeting on Monday, commissioners talked about establishing a written policy regarding prayer before the meetings.
"We've had some issues in Lenoir City with the issue of prayer before their meeting. There was also an issue in Sevier County, and now in Chattanooga," said Commission Chairman Mike Hammond.
Commission wants to establish a formal policy on prayer before commission meetings. Currently, it has no such written policy.
"Having a written policy in place that's uniformly enforced, essentially helps the county and wards off lawsuits. Because again, it's in writing, it's adopted by the body, and it's consistently applied," said Knox County Law Director Joe Jarret.
Right now, commission meetings begin with a prayer led by a different commissioner each week.
Commissioners can either pray themselves, or they can ask members of the clergy to come and pray.
Hammond says having a prayer before a meeting is part of the country's heritage, and it should continue.
"Members of U.S. Congress, they open their session with prayer. You go to the Supreme Court, one of the first things they say is God bless the United States and this court," Hammond said.
Commission agreed to delay the vote on the policy, in large part to give the public more time to weigh in. "Please do not act upon this without further study," said one resident.
"This is an issue that I think a lot of people feel deeply and strongly about. The public should have the opportunity to weigh in on it before we vote," said Commissioner Amy Broyles.
The policy would be non-exclusive, intended to acknowledge all religious denominations and faiths.
"We've had rabbis. We've had catholic priests. We've had a member of the Sioux nation, so we're not being discriminatory at all," Hammond said.
The measure will be sent on to the rules committee, before it gets voted on at a full commission meeting.
The public will have a chance to weigh in during commission's workshop in July.
Commission wants to establish a formal policy on prayer before commission meetings.
