Tag Archives: public accommodations

MISSOURI: Anti-LGBT Bill Advances To House

Late yesterday afternoon the Missouri Senate advanced GOP Sen. Bob Onder’s anti-LGBT bill to the state House. The Human Rights Campaign reacts: Similar to so-called “First Amendment Defense Act” legislation introduced in other states, this extreme resolution would lead to a ballot measure that, if approved by voters, would enshrine discrimination against LGBT people and their families into the state …

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HRC: 60 Major Corporations Endorse Equality Act

The Human Rights Campaign today announced that 60 major corporations have jointly endorsed the Equality Act. Companies on the list include Amazon, Apple, Google, Twitter, IBM, Facebook, Hilton, Hyatt, MasterCard, General Mills, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo. See the full list below. Via press release: Since HRC joined with lawmakers and advocates last July to introduce the Equality Act in Congress, HRC …

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NOM Celebrates Missouri’s Anti-LGBT RFRA Vote

NOM is celebrating the failure of the heroic 39-hour Democratic filibuster to stop Missouri’s RFRA bill with a petition to the state’s lawmakers. They write: The Missouri Senate has passed an important resolution (SJR 39) that would allow the people of Missouri to protect religious liberties by amending their state constitution. Urge the House to pass it as well so …

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MISSOURI: Democratic Filibuster Approaches 40th Hour UPDATE: GOP Ends Debate, Approves Anti-LGBT Bill

UDPATE BELOW. Earlier, from the Riverfront Times: They’re still talking. The Democratic caucus of the Missouri Senate began filibustering a controversial “religious freedom” proposal on Monday at 4 p.m. And as of 6 a.m. this morning, they were still holding the floor — that’s 38 hours, and counting. That appears to be a new record for the Missouri Senate; the …

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MISSOURI: Democratic Filibuster Now In 29th Hour!

INCREDIBLE. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri is grabbing national headlines as word of Senate Democrats’ day-long filibuster spreads. A proposal by Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, is designed to protect wedding vendors and clergy from legal liability and government penalties if they decline to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies. Republicans are trying to put the question on the …

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HISTORIC: Missouri Senate Democrats Pass 24-Hour Mark In Filibuster Against Anti-LGBT RFRA Bill [AUDIO]

UNBELIEVABLE. And it’s STILL going. Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: A Democratic-led filibuster in the Missouri Senate of a religious freedom constitutional amendment passed the 24-hour mark late Tuesday afternoon as opponents of the measure charged it would enable anti-LGBT discrimination in the state. The filibuster, which was in response to Senate Joint Resolution 39, began shortly after …

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MISSOURI: Senate Democrats Have Been Filibustering Anti-LGBT RFRA Bill All Night Long [AUDIO]

Holy cow! From the Riverfront Times: How to stop a piece of a legislation that would codify the right to discriminate against same-sex couples? For Missouri Democrats, the answer may be to just keep talking. Last night at 4 p.m., the Senate Democratic caucus began filibustering a joint resolution aimed at bringing a constitutional amendment to Missouri voters that would …

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ATLANTA: City Council Resolution Unanimously Denounces Georgia’s Pending Anti-LGBT RFRA Law

The Georgia Voice reports: The Atlanta City Council on Monday voted to pass a resolution in opposition to House Bill 757, Senate Bill 129 or any other legislation that would discriminate against the state’s LGBT community. The resolution, proposed by Councilmembers Mary Norwood [photo] and Alex Wan, passed unanimously. It was co-signed by Councilmembers Yolanda Adrean, Natalyn Archibong, Michael Julian …

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INDIANA: Kokomo City Council Advances LGBT Rights Bill By 5-4 Vote After Heated Public Discussion [VIDEO]

The Kokomo Tribune reports: In front of a crowd filling both council chambers and the City Hall lobby, Kokomo’s Common Council voted Monday to approve legislation that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens from various forms of discrimination. After the 5-4 vote in favor of the ordinance’s first reading, the council will hold a second reading at 6 …

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Tony Perkins Vs Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal

Hate group leader Tony Perkins is furious with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, who last week denounced his state’s pending RFRA bill by quoting from the bible. Perkins rants: Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) used to be a Democrat, and on Thursday, it was easy to see why. The longtime congressman-turned-governor sounded a lot like his old party last week when …

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WASHINGTON: State Supreme Court To Hear Appeal From Anti-Gay Florist Barronelle Stutzman

The Associated Press reports: Washington’s Supreme Court says it will hear an appeal of a Richland flower shop owner who ran into legal trouble for refusing to provide services for a same-sex wedding in 2013. The court issued a decision Wednesday saying it would hear the case of Barronelle Stutzman, the proprietor of Arlene’s Flowers. Last year, Stutzman was ordered …

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WEST VIRGINIA: Senate Kills Anti-LGBT RFRA Bill

Rejected by a vote of 27-7. Woo and hoo. The HRC reacts: “For one day at least, West Virginia is spared from legislation that would increase the likelihood of unacceptable discrimination and a flood of expensive legal challenges,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “Unfortunately, despite today’s events, more work lies ahead. LGBT West Virginians still remain at risk for …

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Tony Perkins: Kasich Has Joined The War On Christians

Tony Perkins is ever so unhappy with John Kasich. Via press release: In one of the more stunning moments of the Buckeye’s campaign, Kasich took direct aim at people like Aaron and Melissa Klein, who were ordered to surrender their First Amendment rights as a “price of doing business.” The young Christian parents of five have suffered through the shuttering …

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Ryan Anderson: Georgia’s License To Discriminate Bill Actually Protects The Rights Of Minorities

Ryan Anderson writes for the Heritage Foundation: Last Friday, the Georgia Senate passed a good bill that protects religious freedom in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage. And already special interest groups and big businesses are trying to pressure the governor into refusing to sign the bill unless it is significantly watered down in the House. This …

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SOUTH DAKOTA: State Senate Judiciary Committee Kills Bill To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination

South Dakota’s Senate Judiciary Committee this morning killed a bill which would have legalized anti-LGBT discrimination by businesses. The bill’s chief sponsor was state House Rep. Scott Craig (above left). Lambda Legal celebrates but cautions that other anti-trans bills remain active in South Dakota:  “The Senate Judiciary Committee did the right thing today. House Bill 1107 was a harmful and …

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John Kasich Rejects Anti-LGBT Business Discrimination: If Gays Ask For Cupcakes, Make Them Cupcakes

Speaking earlier this week at the University of Virginia, Ohio Gov. John Kasich rejected anti-LGBT discrimination by Christian-owned businesses. From the anti-gay Christian News: Kasich, who identifies as an Anglican, and personally believes that marriage is between a man and a woman, was asked a variety of questions ranging from the topics of climate change, religious freedom, immigration and creationism. …

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TEXAS: Bakery Refuses Wedding Cake For Gay Couple

This being a small town in Texas the couple has no legal recourse. From the Longview News-Journal: A same-sex couple says they were saddened last week when a Longview bakery refused to bake their wedding cake, and the business owner said it would have offended her faith for the business to be linked to the event. Ben Valencia and Luis …

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NEW YORK: Alliance Defending Freedom Surrenders, No More Appeals For Anti-Gay Wedding Venue

Last month the appellate division of the New York Supreme Court told Alliance Defending Freedom to take a hike when they affirmed New York’s public accommodations laws in the case of an upstate wedding venue that had been fined for turning away a same-sex couple. Today the ADF announced that they are surrendering. The Associated Press reports: The owners of …

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LIVE VIDEO: Georgia Senate Debates Bill To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination Because Religious Liberty

From Know Thy Neighbor: This morning, the Georgia Senate will debate HB 757, a hybrid of the House Pastor Protection Act and the Georgia First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). The new bill is pretty terrible. In short, it allows any individual or “faith-based” business, non-profit entity, or taxpayer-funded organization to ignore any law that conflicts with their religious beliefs about …

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SURVEY: Majority Of Public Backs Equality Act

A survey conducted by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute reveals that a majority of Americans in every state supports the Equality Act, which would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. From the Human Rights Campaign: Currently, 33 states lack clear, fully inclusive LGBT non-discrimination protections, leaving people at risk for being fired, denied a job or …

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