Woman uses Texas ‘religious freedom’ law to fight $2,000 fine for feeding the homeless

A San Antonio, Texas woman is planning to use her state’s “religious freedom” law to fight a fine she received for feeding homeless people at a local park.

According to a report from the San Antonio Express News, Joan Cheever said that police ticketed her last week for distributing food from a vehicle other than the food truck she normally operates. The fine was a total of $2,000.

From Express News:

Cheever is scheduled to go before Municipal Court on June 23, but she remained defiant after receiving the citation, arguing that under the 1999 Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, she has a right to serve food to the homeless because she considers it a free exercise of her religion.

“One of the police officers said, ‘Ma’am, if you want to pray, go to church,’” Cheever told WOAI-TV. “And I said, ‘This is how I pray — when I cook this food and deliver it to the people who are less fortunate.’”

Watch WOAI-TV’s report on the story on the video below:

Featured image credit: Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.

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