And another one. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:
Florists, bakers or any other private business owner could refuse service to gay couples getting married in Georgia, under legislation filed Wednesday that is likely to inflame the battle at the Capitol over religious freedom and gay rights.
House Bill 756 would allow business owners to cite religious beliefs in refusing goods or services for a “matrimonial ceremony” — a blunt assessment of conservatives’ outrage after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June state prohibitions on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional.
A second proposal, House Bill 757, was also filed Wednesday. Commonly called the “Pastor Protection Act,” the bill is championed by House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, and meant to be a compromise in the religious liberty debate. It would make clear that no religious leader in Georgia can be forced to perform a same-sex wedding. It is not expected to have much opposition as even marriage-equality supporters say that’s not their intent.
HB 756, however, will likely be met with fierce criticism. And the same man — state Rep. Kevin Tanner, R-Dawsonville — is the lead sponsor of both of them. Tanner left the Capitol Wednesday afternoon and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.