Bill That Allows For Discrimination Moves To Mississippi Senate Floor
On Wednesday, a Mississippi Senate Committee approved HB 1523, the misleadingly named “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act.” The state House has already passed the bill and the Senate will likely vote on it very soon. The goal of HB 1523 is to allow discrimination against LGBT couples. But its reach goes much further.
Faith-Based College Groups Can Now Discriminate In Kansas
According to The Kansas City Star, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has signed into law SB 175, a bill that would allow faith-based groups at universities to restrict membership to only like-minded people. This means that school tuition dollars could go to groups that deny membership to minority students, such as those in the LGBT community.
A Sign Speaks: The Message Behind ‘The PILL KILLS’
North Carolina Rushes Anti-LGBT Bill Through Legislature
North Carolina lawmakers are so dead set on passing a bill that would ban all cities in the state from enacting anti-discrimination ordinances that they convened a special session today that is costing $42,000 in taxpayer funds. And, in an effort to get their dollar's worth, legislators look ready to pass HB 2 through both chambers before the end of the day.
The Mouse Has Spoken: Disney Threatens To Boycott Georgia If HB 757 Passes
Disney fired a warning shot across Georgia's bow today, vowing that neither it nor its Marvel Studios unit would film in the state should HB 757 pass.
Birth Control Battle: U.S. Supreme Court Weighs Limits Of ‘Religious Freedom’
People of faith who live in the United States sometimes have to make compromises between their personal beliefs and following the law. As far as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy is concerned, there is no obvious way to distinguish when violating one’s faith is acceptable and when it isn’t.
Americans United Law Clerk Explains Why Zubik Is Vital For Students
In an interview with NPR about the Zubik v. Burwell Supreme Court case, Georgetown University student and Americans United law clerk Allison Tanner explained why it was necessary for students of religiously affiliated universities to receive contraception coverage from their schools.
Zubik v. Burwell, Part 6: The Accommodation is the Least-Restrictive Option
Zubik v. Burwell, Part 5: These Exceptions are Unexceptional
In his fifth post on Zubik v. Burwell, Senior Litigation Counsel Greg Lipper debunks the ACA challengers' argument that exceptions to the law undermine the importance of contraception.
MPAA Is "Confident" That Georgia's Governor Will Not Sign Discriminatory Bill
Georgia's HB 757, a bill that sanctions discrimination based on religion, is getting poor reviews in Hollywood. Yesterday, entertainment industry paper Variety reported that a Motion Picture Association of America official is very sure that Governor Nathan Deal will not sign the bill into law. Georgia's film and television industry is booming, leading activists to call upon production companies to use their heft to protest HB 757.
Zubik v. Burwell, Part 4: The Compelling Interest in Contraceptive Coverage
Senior Litigation Counsel Greg Lipper outlines the compelling interest in contraception coverage in the fourth part of his series on Zubik v. Burwell.
Home Depot Co-Founder Opposes Georgia's Discrimination Bill
Last Week In Review: March 14–19
Zubik v. Burwell, Part 3: Birth Control Is Not Abortion
In the third part of his blog series on Zubik v. Burwell, Senior Litigation Counsel Greg Lipper debunks the myth of “abortifacients" and other erroneous labeling of standard birth control methods.
Even More Companies And Celebrities Urge Georgia's Governor To Veto Harmful Bill
Companies, politicians, and celebrities have been coming out against Georgia's HB 757, a bill that would allow individuals, businesses, and taxpayer-funded social services organizations to refuse to adhere to any laws that conflict with their religious beliefs about marriage, almost since the day it was introduced. Now that the bill has passed through the legislature and sits on Governor Nathan Deal's desk, these opponents are louder than ever.