Letters to the Editor for March 9, 2019

Sisolak’s bill draft request submissions are mounting

Re: SB 143

As of March 2, our new governor has 81 BDRs in the Legislature and he may not be done yet. So far, they are all about “The Money” or “The Taxes,” whichever you prefer (BDRs 1165 to 1246). These will affect every county in the state, not just Carson City.

Considering the efficiency of the governor’s new railroad, this shouldn’t be a problem but that is quite a load for any new railroad.

I’ve watched our Legislature for some time and never seen one entity receive that many BDRs before.

Perhaps instead of being just politically revered, he should be placed on a watchlist as well. Obviously, nobody was watching Mr. Atkinson.

For those that don’t know what a BDR is, I would like to suggest that you get busy and find out. While you are at it, you might read The Federalist number 10.

America has changed the world for the better. Does it really need to be changed this much again?

Pete Bachstadt

Carson City

You make the law, you follow it

California Sen. Jerry Hill introduced SB360 on Feb. 20, which would force priests to violate the sacramental seal of confession in order to reveal anyone suspected in cases of child abuse or neglect.

Clergy are already forced to report such cases in California, but a legal exemption for material disclosed in the confessional.

A priest cannot violate the Code of Canon Law, which states, “The sacramental seal is inviolable and, therefore, it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to convey in any way a penitent in any manner and for any reason.” Any priest who intentionally violates the seal incurs an automatic excommunication.

And Hill thinks he can, by law, force priests to violate the law of the Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ?

Does Hill think he can tell God how to run his church?

Even if disclosure were not forbidden, his bill would have to make every person, Catholic or otherwise, by law, responsible to go to confession at a Catholic church so the priests could reveal the sins of all mankind, including the lame brains who would try to enforce such a law!

Mary Santomauro

Stagecoach