MISSISSIPPI: House Panel Advances Sweeping Bill To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination Because Jesus

Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn’s sprawling bill to legalize “religious liberty” discrimination against LGBT citizens advanced in the House Judiciary Committee today on a 14-3 vote.

From the Human Rights Campaign:

Dubbed the “Religious Liberty Accommodations Act,” this horrific legislation would allow individuals, religious organizations and private associations to use religion to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Mississippians.

Under H.B. 1523, religion could be used by most any individual or organization to justify discrimination against LGBT people, unwed mothers, veterans and others. Faith-based organizations could refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples; deny children in need of loving homes with LGBT families; and refuse to sell or rent a for-profit home to an LGBT person — even if the organization receives government funding.

As introduced, H.B. 1523 would also give foster families the freedom to submit an LGBTQ child to the dangerous practice of “conversion therapy,” and shame a pregnant unwed girl, without fear of government intervention or license suspension. It would even allow individuals to refuse to carry out the terms of a state contract for the provision of counseling services to all eligible individuals, including veterans, based on the counselor’s beliefs about LGBT people or single mothers.

Furthermore, schools, employers and service providers could implement sex-specific dress and grooming standards, as well as refuse transgender people access to the appropriate sex-segregated facilities,consistent with their gender identity. H.B. 1523 even legalizes Kim Davis-style discrimination by allowing government employees to abdicate their duties and refuse to license or solemnize marriages for LGBT people.

Read the full text of the bill. Gunn is the first GOP speaker of the Mississippi House since 1876.