KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A new amendment to the Missouri Constitution on prayer and religious expression has already prompted a lawsuit.
Missouri voters passed the amendment Tuesday. It specifically protects public prayer and lets students avoid assignments that violate their religious beliefs.
On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit over a section that says the religious rights of inmates are limited to federal law.
Tony Rothert, of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, says the Missouri Constitution provides more protections of religious liberty than the U.S. Constitution. He says the state can't remove protections in a way that affects just one group.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 2 inmates and names the head of Missouri's Corrections Department as the defendant. The department didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
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