Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Texas Tribune reports:
After emotional testimony, a forceful show of opposition from leaders in the state’s business community and more than an hour of floor debate, the Texas Senate on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a sweeping religious refusals bill, a priority proposal for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that LGTBQ advocates have called a “license to discriminate.”
The measure, Lubbock Republican Charles Perry’s Senate Bill 17, would allow occupational license holders like social workers or lawyers to cite “sincerely held religious beliefs” when their licenses are at risk due to professional behavior or speech.
It would also prevent licensing boards from enacting regulations that burden “an applicant’s or license holder’s free exercise of religion.” The bill does not protect police officers, first responders or doctors who refuse to provide life-saving care.
The Dallas News reports:
Perry has said he filed the bill in response to a number of cases he said showed people of faith were being targeted in the workplace, as well as a model rule from the American Bar Association. The rule, which the State Bar of Texas has not adopted, prohibits lawyers from discriminating against LGBT clients. Opponents have said the U.S. Constitution already protects Americans’ religious freedoms.
Perry was also questioned about the opposition to the bill. When it was debated in committee, about 50 people spoke against the bill and just a handful supported it. But Perry chalked that up to his inaction, saying, “I didn’t rally my troops.” He said he did not read a letter penned by tourism groups, chambers of commerce and businesses like Amazon, Google and Facebook opposing his bill.
The bill needs one more procedural vote in the Senate before it’s sent to the Texas House for consideration. That will likely happen tomorrow.
From the Human Rights Campaign:
In Texas, more than 200 professions require professional licensing so that consumers are assured that the professional has the requisite skills and training and will be held accountable to to professional standards. It applies to all licensees in Texas, including teachers, fire fighters, doctors, architects, funeral directors, building inspectors, social workers, counselors, psychologists, therapists, judges, veterinarians, pipefitters, auditors, surgeons, and so many more.
The Texas Senate gave preliminary approval to a sweeping religious refusals bill, a priority proposal for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that LGTBQ advocates have called a “license to discriminate.” #SB17 #txlege https://t.co/IQHsGHIyaX
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) April 2, 2019