Constitution of Connecticut (2025 publisher edition) — Article SEVENTH

Publisher edition notice: The publisher identifies this compilation as revised to January 1, 2025. It preserves the annotated original 1965 text and all ratified amendments, alongside the Revisors' unofficial convenience version incorporating extant amendments. The latter does not supersede the original Constitution and amendments; later changes have not been independently verified.

Article SEVENTH Revisors’ compilation incorporating extant amendments; publisher convenience version.

ARTICLE SEVENTH.
OF RELIGION.
(No legal compulsion to join or support church. No preference in religion.
Equal rights of all religious denominations.)
It being the right of all men to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator and
Preserver of the Universe, and to render that worship in a mode consistent with the
dictates of their consciences, no person shall by law be compelled to join or support,
nor be classed or associated with, any congregation, church or religious association.
No preference shall be given by law to any religious society or denomination in the
state. Each shall have and enjoy the same and equal powers, rights and privileges, and
may support and maintain the ministers or teachers of its society or denomination, and
may build and repair houses for public worship.

Article SEVENTH Original 1965 text and publisher annotations; retained historical context.

ARTICLE SEVENTH.*
OF RELIGION.
*Former provision cited. 7 C. 77. Effect of constitutional provision on former located societies, undetermined. 16
C. 516. General Assembly cannot divide an ancient society, nor divide its funds and assign part to new society. 23 C.
255. It may well be questioned whether this section does not forbid including religious instruction in list of necessaries.
40 C. 77. Providing of transportation to nonprofit private schools by towns under Sec. 10-281 constitutional. 147 C.
374. Reasonable regulation of location of churches and schools for religious education does not violate constitutional
guarantee of freedom of religion. 149 C. 712. Resale of land to church at lower prices than paid for other land of church
condemned by urban redevelopment authority is not an aid to religion in violation of this article. 159 C. 116. Secs. 30-74,
30-77 and 30-91 insofar as they prohibited sale of alcoholic liquor on Good Friday are unconstitutional. Entanglement of
government and religion discussed. 183 C. 552. Cited. 191 C. 336.
Cited. 7 CA 745.
(No legal compulsion to join or support church. No preference in religion.
Equal rights of all religious denominations.)
It being the right of all men to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator
and Preserver of the Universe, and to render that worship in a mode consis-
tent with the dictates of their consciences, no person shall by law be compelled
to join or support, nor be classed or associated with, any congregation, church
or religious association. No preference shall be given by law to any religious
society or denomination in the state. Each shall have and enjoy the same and
equal powers, rights and privileges, and may support and maintain the ministers
or teachers of its society or denomination, and may build and repair houses for
public worship.