Message #49041

[Mark]

The country went nuts over this in AZ,yet passes with out so much as a blub in MI

Mississippi Lawmakers Pass Controversial 'Religious Freedom' Bill

Mississippi lawmakers passed a controversial "religious freedom" bill on Tuesday night, allowing residents to sue over laws they claim go against their religious beliefs, the Washington Post reported.

Supporters of the bill say it protects religious freedoms while critics suggest it's a way to discriminate against gays and lesbians -- similar to the bill infamously proposed in Arizona in February, which ended up being vetoed by Gov. Jan Brewer.

The legislation was introduced last week for a third time. Twice before, lawmakers missed key deadlines, putting the bill at risk.

The most recent version also took out parts that certain civil rights groups opposed, the Post said. The state's House and Senate -- both controlled by the GOP -- passed the bill by wide margins.

The bill also adds "In God We Trust" to the state seal, which Gov. Phil Bryant said he supports.

"This is a victory for the First Amendment and the right to live and work according to one's conscience," Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said in a statement. "This commonsense measure was a no-brainer for freedom, and like the federal [Religious Freedom Restoration Act], it simply bars government discrimination against religious exercise. The legislature gave strong approval to a bill that declares that individuals do not have to trade their religious freedom for entrance into public commerce."

The American Civil Liberties Union suggested otherwise.

"We remain hopeful that courts throughout the state will reject any attempts to use religion to justify discrimination," Jennifer Riley-Collins, executive director of Mississippi's ACLU chapter, said in a statement. "Nobody should be refused service because of who they are."

http://www.hngn.com/articles/27924/20140402/mississippi-state-senate-mississippi-state-house-mississippi-news-religious-freedom-bill-aclu-news-family-research-council-news.htm