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RALEIGH— Each day when state lawmakers gavel into session, they are immediately greeted with a prayer. State leaders are looking into whether pre-legislative session prayers can or should be sectarian.

The House of Representatives is reviewing the current nondenominational policy after one religious leader’s invitation to pray for legislators was cut short this session. One of those visitors was Forsyth County Reverend Ron Baity, who invoked the name of Jesus in his prayer. This raised concerns, because House policy is not to allow sectarian prayer.

Baity told News 14 Carolina he disagrees with this rule.

“This nation was founded upon Christianity,” said Baity. “To say 'Christianity' you have to say 'Christ.' Christ is Christianity.”

Now state lawmakers say they are going to look into this issue. The Speaker of the House has nominated a panel to study this issue and bring back recommendations about whether the rules need to be changed.

“One thing I don't think we should ever do is try to tell a person who has been invited to come to pray,” said Rep. Paul Stam (R ), Wake County, “what should be in that prayer.”

Stam is co-chairing this ad-hoc committee. He said he believes freedom of religion dictates that any prayer could be said. However Rep. Deborah Ross, Wake County, points out that there used to be a Chaplin for the House and only a visiting Chaplin for the short session.

“Unless they're actually proselytizing or disparaging some other faith, you know they could not get in there and say such and such a denomination is a bad thing, you know that wouldn't be appropriate,” said Stam.

Co-chair Ross is not as quick to judge. She said the first step is read current law and to determine what freedoms are guaranteed under the first amendment.

“We have the right not to have the government establish or favor a particular religion,” said Ross, “and then we have the right to free exercise of religion.”

The first time a house Chaplin was mentioned in state archives is in 1941, but House journals show that prayers have been opening legislative sessions since the 1860's.