HONOLULU (AP) - The Hawaii House of Representatives will continue to hold prayers before daily session, unlike the state Senate, which canceled them last month.The House voted to adopt new rules Wednesday that call for prayers to be held before the start of the official business of the lawmaking body.
Prayers can continue to mention a deity or God, but they can't be used to disparage any religion.
House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro said the rules were crafted to ensure that lawmakers complied with prior U.S. Supreme Court rulings on the constitutionality of legislative prayer.
The state Senate took a different course by ending invocations altogether after receiving a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union questioning the practice.
But several senators have make a point of mentioning God during routine announcements.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
