[Claud]

Yeah, I know, citing Wikipedia. Nonetheless:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_religious_test_clause

EXCERPT: “Earlier in U.S. history, the doctrine of states’ rights allowed individual states complete discretion regarding the inclusion of a religious test in their state constitutions. Such religious tests have in recent decades been deemed to be unconstitutional by the extension of the First Amendment provisions to the states (via the incorporation of the 14th Amendment).”

So Article IV has not traditionally applied to states. The 14th Amendment is the linchpin here, as some of you stated above.

[Hoodat]

Thanks for your reply, although I vehemently disagree with the interpretation that Amendment XIV calls for the restrictions on Congress in Amendment I to be applied to the States as well. There is nothing in Amendment XIV (including equal protection) that allows this expansion of restriction. The restrictions on Congress are for the individual and are already applied equally, regardless of State law since State law cannot remove a restriction placed upon Congress.