Faith-Based College Groups Can Now Discriminate In Kansas

According to The Kansas City Star, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has signed into law SB 175, a bill that would allow faith-based groups at universities to restrict membership to only like-minded people. This means that school tuition dollars could go to groups that deny membership to minority students, such as those in the LGBT community.

From The Kansas City Star:

The GOP-dominated Legislature approved the legislation earlier this month, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled nearly six years ago that universities can require membership in such groups to be open to all. Supporters have said the bill was a victory for the freedom to exercise religious beliefs, but opponents called it a veiled attempt to legalize discrimination.

Kansas already has a religious objections law that prevents state or local governments from limiting people's freedom to express their religion, though that law doesn't touch on organizations at universities. With Gov. Sam Brownback's signature, Kansas becomes the second state after Oklahoma to have a college-specific law.

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