87R19397 TBO-D     By: Jetton H.R. No. 646       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and   Article One of the Texas Constitution uphold and protect the   freedom for all people to manifest, teach, practice, worship, and   observe their religion; and          WHEREAS, Violations of religious liberty are often motivated   by fear and hatred; according to a 2019 report from the Federal   Bureau of Investigation, 20.1 percent of single-bias hate crime   incidents were motivated by religious bias, and throughout that   year, 1,715 people were victims of anti-religious hate crimes; 13.2   percent of these crimes were anti-Islamic in nature, 13.2 percent   were anti-various Christian religions, 60.2 percent were   anti-Jewish, 3.5 percent were anti-Sikh, 0.4 percent were   anti-Hindu, and 0.3 percent were anti-Buddhist; and          WHEREAS, From 2006 through 2019, 29 attacks against mosques   occurred in Texas, including multiple shootings, bomb threats, and   acts of arson and vandalism; from May 2020 through March 2021, more   than 60 incidents of arson, vandalism, and other methods of   destruction occurred at Catholic Churches throughout the U.S.,   including damage to statues and windows of churches in Texas; from   2015 through 2018, 151 anti-Semitic incidents occurred in Texas,   including harassment, vandalism, and assault; and          WHEREAS, All anti-religious hate crimes are inconsistent   with our nation's founding principles, and it is imperative that   these issues be addressed; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas   Legislature hereby express support for the rights and dignity of   citizens of all faiths and strongly condemn racism, intimidation,   violence, vandalism, arson, and other crimes targeting places of   worship and their congregants; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives affirm that all   citizens should live without fear or intimidation in practice of   their faith; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge local and   state law enforcement authorities to work to prevent and report   anti-religious hate crimes.