The US Supreme Court’s Masterpiece Cakeshop opinion is having an immediate and wide-ranging impact. The Arizona Court of Appeals cited the Masterpiece opinion when it ruled against Brush & Nib Studio, one of several businesses around the country that, like Masterpiece, is trying to use religious beliefs to justify discrimination.
Uncovering Project Blitz: Fighting A Secret, Coordinated Legislative Strategy To Undermine Religious Freedom In The States
Every legislative session, AU tracks hundreds of state bills that, if passed, would undermine religious freedom in nearly every state. We often see trends arise across states. Lawmakers in different states introduce similar bills, and sometimes even the same exact bills with the same exact language. And we can usually figure out why that happens: conservative lobbying groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and state Focus on the Family affiliates often shop model bills around to state legislators, who then introduce these model bills in their states. The lobbying groups also share strategies with legislators to help pass their bills. The result: Similar harmful bills appear and pass in many different states in a nationwide onslaught.
The State Legislatures Are Back In Session And We’re Ready!
Americans United Warns Tennessee Official That He Cannot Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples
American Counseling Association Finalizes Convention Move Over Tennessee's Anti-LGBT Law
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The 2016 State Sessions, Part 2: The Bad And The Ugly
In part 1, we recapped the good— the harmful bills that were stopped. In today’s post, we cover the bad and the ugly of the 2016 state legislative sessions.
American Counseling Association Relocates Nashville Conference Over Tennessee's Anti-LGBT Law
On Tuesday, the American Counseling Association (ACA) announced that it would pull its 2017 Conference & Expo out of Nashville, Tennessee, due to the state’s new anti-LGBT legislation.
Last Week in Review: April 25–29
Tennessee Governor Signs Bill That Could Harm LGBT Individuals Seeking Mental Healthcare
On Wednesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) signed HB 1840/SB 1556, a bill that allows a therapist or counselor to refuse to treat clients whose "goals, outcomes, or behaviors... conflict with a sincerely held principle" of that mental health professional. The bill—now law—will endanger some of the most vulnerable Tennesseans: those in need of mental healthcare and treatment.
Last Week In Review: April 18–22
U.S. Commission On Civil Rights Condemns "Religious Liberty" Bills
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has weighed in on the bills we’ve been working on at PTN. In a statement released on Monday, the agency condemned state laws and pending legislation that sanction discrimination, especially against LGBT Americans, under the guise of religious liberty.
Last Week in Review: April 4–8
Last Week In Review: March 21–25
Because many state legislative sessions have ended (Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming), we can report that 13 of the so-called religious liberty bills we have been tracking are officially dead. Here is some of the big state legislative news that occurred last week and what we expect to see moving this week.
Last Week In Review: March 14–19
Spotlight On: Tennessee's Discriminatory Healthcare Bills
Today, we continue our coverage of bills that we expect to dominate the state legislatures by focusing on two related sets of bills in Tennessee. HB 566/SB 397 and HB 1840/SB 1556 would both allow individuals to withhold counseling services—an important, and sometimes lifesaving, healthcare service—from certain patients. And we know that those who would be most likely to be refused services are LGBT patients.
The Sour Grapes Of Wrath: Tenn. County Politician Seeks To Stave Off God’s Vengeance Over Marriage Equality Ruling
Tennessee Lawmaker Sends Letter To 95 County Clerks Urging Them To Refuse Marriage Licenses To Same-Sex Couples
Just weeks after posting a rant on his Facebook page calling for the impeachment of Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, Rep. Rick Womick is back in the news again, this time for sending a letter to all 95 Tennessee county clerks urging them to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Faith 2 Action's Janet Porter Calls for Rehearing of Marriage Equality Case, Demands Help From Attorneys General
In an e-mail that's as abusive to the eyes as it is to the intellect, Faith 2 Action's Janet Porter has called upon the attorneys general of Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky to join her motion to "Rehear Obergefell v. Hodges" before the Supreme Court (minus Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan, who must recuse themselves for performing marriages for same-sex couples).