GEORGIA ANGLE

Monday’s Supreme Court ruling puts Georgia churches and other faith-based organizations on a level playing field with other organizations, said Kelly McCutchen, president of the right-leaning Georgia Public Policy Foundation, though national and Georgia teacher unions cautioned against interpreting the ruling as an invitation for states to promote religion or expand school voucher programs.

“This didn’t open a new door,” Georgia Association of Educators government relations director Starla Tanner said.

Georgia is one of about 40 states that have constitutional amendments that bar the state from funding religious institutions, despite an unsuccessful 2003 attempt by Gov. Sonny Perdue to alter the state Constitution. While some faith-based organizations do receive public funding, especially in areas such as social services and education, Monday’s ruling puts them on firmer footing, McCutchen said.

A separate Georgia Supreme Court ruling Monday found that a state law establishing tax credits for scholarships, which give private schools dollars that otherwise would have gone into the public treasury, does not violate the state Constitution.

“What this does is give those organizations a much better feeling that the law is on their side,” McCutchen said.