HB 773, Virginia's State FADA bill and legislation that would allow the discrimination of the LGBT community, has passed a House of Delegates committee.
Despite RFRA Vote, West Virginia City Passes Anti-Discrimination Law Anyway
Despite yesterday's vote in the West Virginia's House of Delegates on a RFRA bill that would negatively affect municipalities with anti-discrimination ordinances, Martinsburg City Council decided to pass an ordinance anyway.
West Virginia House Passes Its RFRA
In a move as unsurprising as it is depressing, West Virginia's House of Delegates passed HB 4012, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
WV Deputy Clerk Serves Same-Sex Couple A Marriage License With A Heaping Side Of Abuse
Spotlight On: West Virginia's RFRA
Today, the West Virginia House is debating HB 4012, a RFRA bill. As with many other state RFRA bills we seen in the wake of Hobby Lobby and the Supreme Court’s marriage quality decision, HB 4012 could allow individuals, and even for-profit corporations, to discriminate, deny women healthcare, and otherwise harm others in the name of religion.
Americans United Submits Amicus Brief To Washington Supreme Court In Florist Case
Americans United sent an amicus to the Washington State Supreme Court declaring that the owner of Arlene's Flowers does not have the religious freedom right to deny services to LGBT couples.
Washington Florist Does Not Have Religious Freedom Right To Deny Service To Same-Sex Couples, Says Americans United
Spotlight On: Overly Broad Pastor Protection Acts
Pastor Protection Acts generally state that the government may not require clergy or houses of worship to perform marriages or host marriage ceremonies that would conflict with their faith. We believe that these bills are unnecessary because the Free Exercise Clause of the U.S. Constitution already guarantees as much, and we don’t oppose them if the language is actually limited to that purpose.
Florida Republicans Considering LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill
While Florida is no stranger to anti-LGBT legislation, it looks like there might be some light coming from the Sunshine State after all.
Opinions Differ Over West Virginia RFRA Bill's Purpose
The debate over West Virginia's HB 4012 RFRA continues, but some state delegates have been more blunt about the purpose of the bill than others.
Texas Judge Does Not Have Religious Freedom Right To Deny Service To Same-Sex Couples, Says Americans United
National Religious Right Groups Push South Dakota's State FADA Forward
Indiana's RFRA Is Now Being Used To Challenge Local LGBT Anti-Discrimination Laws
Hearing For Georgia's Pastor Protection Act Bill Today At 3:00pm
Christian Universities Request Exemptions From Title IX's LGBT Protections
Spotlight On: Four Anti-LGBT Bills In Oklahoma
Last session, the state of Texas had the distinction of being the state with the most anti-LGBT bills with over 20 pieces of legislation. Fortunately, each one of those bills was defeated. This session, that distinction of (dis)honor belongs to Oklahoma. Their session began this week, and they already have at least 26 anti-LGBT bills, including bills that include religious exemptions that could be used to discriminate. Here is a look at just four of those bills that we are closely tracking.
Republicans, Business Leaders Uneasy About Georgia's "Religious Freedom" Bills
Some Georgia Republicans are finding themselves extremely uneasy about the state's "religious freedom" bills.
Spotlight On: Indiana's SB 344, A Flawed Non-Discrimination Bill
Today, the Indiana Senate is expected to take up SB 344, a flawed non-discrimination bill. There are so many reasons to oppose this bill, including that it fails to offer any protections for transgender Hoosiers. But in this post, we’d like to look at the vast and broad religious exemptions in the bill. Although SB 344 may offer some (insufficient) non-discrimination protections, it also would provide a religious trump card to nullify those protections. The bill also contains religious exemptions that would undermine rights and protections guaranteed by other state and local laws and policies.
Spotlight On: Georgia's Discriminatory Religious Exemption Bills
Having trouble keeping up on what is happening in the Georgia General Assembly? Don’t worry, so many bad bills that claim to protect religious freedom have been introduced that it is hard to follow. But we are here to help. Here is your Georgia cheat sheet: It explains seven of the bills out there that claim to protect religious freedom, but really don’t.