MISSOURI: Proposed Anti-LGBT “Religious Liberty” Bill Stalls In Face Of Fierce Corporate Opposition

But it’s not dead yet. The Kansas City Star reports:

Late into the night Tuesday, supporters and opponents of a proposed “religious freedom” amendment sparred over its potential impact.  On one side, religious leaders and Republican elected officials implored the House Emerging Issues Committee to approve the amendment as is and place it on the ballot for Missouri voters to decide.

On the other, business executives and LGBT-advocates urged lawmakers to alter or kill the bill, arguing that it’s success will hurt Missouri’s economy by enshrining discrimination in the state constitution. Four hours of discussion ended shortly after midnight without a vote by the committee.

“What I’ve said from the beginning is I didn’t want to bury the bill and I didn’t want to speed the bill through,” said Rep. Elijah Haahr, a Springfield Republican who chairs the committee. “My job was to give it the most thorough and fair vetting possible.” Haahr said he’s made no decision on how to move forward or when the committee will hold a vote.

Leading the charge against the “religious freedom” amendment are the business community, with companies from around the state on Tuesday announcing the formation of a coalition called Missouri Competes designed to help defeat the bill. Among the nearly 100 companies in the coalition are Google Fiber, Pfizer, MasterCard and Monsanto.

Sen. Bob Onder, a St. Charles Republican sponsoring the legislation, said it’s a myth that the business community opposes the “religious freedom” amendment. “I’d say business elites oppose SJR39,” Onder said.