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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, March 21, 1980
Page 5
Judaism today keeps ONLY the Feast.
not celebrate the memorial of His death.
They reject Christ, so could
But they call it "Passover."
IMPORTANT BILL BEFORE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE
The California State Legislature is considering a bill that would vir
tually eliminate all the "supervisory powers" which the Attorney General
has been claiming in the California Corporations Code (not that he has
actually had them under the higher law of the federal Constitution). As
you will recall, his claims were originally based on a portion of the
California Corporations Code (section 9505) which became infamous when
it was used against God's Church in January 1979.
State Senator Petris' bill (which is a political hot potato) would, if
passed, substantiate that the California legislature realizes that there
has been a gross overstepping of the law. The bill is strongly supported
by other California churches and the ACLU who are alarmed by the invasion
of The Worldwide Church of God in 1979 and the Attorney General's contin
ued attempts to interfere with the Church's internal workings.
Following is an article from the Pasadena Star News (dated March 20th)
which reported on this significant bill designed to repeal part of the
California Corporation's Code.
Church chiefs back
probe-law repeal
SACRAMENTO (AP) - A group of religious
leaders, representing major Protestant and Jewish
organizations, backed legislation Wednesday to
repeal a new law giving the state attorney general
power to inspect church records.
The churchmen were backed by Brent Barnhart,
a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union.
At a Capitol news conference, the group an
nounced support for SB1493 introduced by Sen.
Nicholas Petris, !>Oakland, which would repeal a
law effective since Jan. 1 giving the state attorney
general power to examine church records when he
determines there are "reasonable grounds."
The new law was part of a massive rewrite of the
statute concerning non-profit corporations, which
was passed by the Legislature last year with the
backing of the State Bar. Barnhart said the provi
sion about church inspections attracted little no
tice.
It was under the former law that records of the
Pasadena-based Worldwide Church of God were
placed in receivership by the Los Angeles Superior
Court in January 1979 in a state investigation of
alleged misuse of church funds by church leaders.
The church has the case before the 9th U.S. Cir
'cuit Court of Appeals claiming an unconstitutional
violation of freedom of religion.
The attorney general brought suit against the
church and church leaders, claiming church funds
are a charitable trust governed by state law and
which the attorney general must protect.
It is not certain whether the new state law or its
repeal would have an effect on the state's case
against the Worldwide Church of God since the at
torney general's action was based on the former
law.