AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — When a pastor created a rehabilitation programme for parolees near his church, the city of Sinton stepped in to stop it.Within months of the programme’s start in 1998, officials in the small city just north of Corpus Christi barred prison parolees from living within 1,000 feet of churches, schools and other certain areas.

Grace Christian Fellowship’s challenge of that 1999 ordinance has reached the Texas Supreme Court.

The church and its pastor, Rick Barr, say the city broke a Texas law that state legislators passed later in the year to curtail government interference in religious practices.

The Texas Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in March or April on whether Sinton’s zoning ordinance violates the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a law that then-Gov. George W. Bush endorsed.

Under the law, state and local governments must show a compelling interest, such as protection of public health or safety, before limiting the practice of religion.

Sinton is a test case that scholars and activists say could influence other states that have similar religious freedom laws.

Backing the Grace Christian Fellowship is the Liberty Legal Institute, the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Center for Law and Justice, founded by Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson.

“It’s significant,” said Kelly Shackelford of the Liberty Legal Institute. “What kind of powers does government have to look at a church, say they don’t like it, and ban it from the city?”

Barr had set up his faith-based rehabilitation program for nonviolent parolees in two homes near his church.