Americans United Files Brief In SCOTUS Contraception Accommodation Case
Americans United filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court today stating that the court should protect student and staff access to contraception at the University of Notre Dame. AU represents a student who has medical coverage through the Catholic university and stands to lose access to birth control should the school receive further exemptions to the ACA contraception mandate.
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.
Department of Ed. To Publish List of Religious Schools Allowed To Discriminate Against LGBT Students
Nebraska Adoption Bill Would Discriminate Against LGBT Parents
Poll Shows That Negative Views Still Linger After Indiana's RFRA Drama
Religious Right Uses First Amendment As A Weapon In The Courts
The So-Called First Amendment Defense Act Reaches the States
Today, we continue our coverage of bills that we expect to dominate the state legislatures by focusing on bills already being discussed in four states—Virginia, Georgia, Washington, and Illinois—that are modeled after the federal First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) bill.
Unfriendly Skies: American Airlines Accused Of Discriminating Against Muslim And Sikh Passengers
Religion-based discrimination takes many forms in modern America. Often it looks like a county clerk who won’t give a marriage license to a same-sex couple. Other times, it looks like three Muslims and one Sikh getting booted from a flight because they allegedly made passengers and crew “uneasy.”
Spotlight On: Georgia HB 756, Georgia HB 757 And Representative Tanner’s Misguided Attempts at Religious Freedom
On Wednesday, Representative Kevin Tanner introduced two bills that would sanction discrimination in the name of religion. HB 757 is being sold as a Pastor Protection Act, even though it goes much further than ensuring that the government doesn’t require clergy to perform marriages with which they disagree. HB 756 would allow businesses to refuse same-sex couples and, in an unexpected twist, allow businesses to refuse to serve churches and religious schools.
Spotlight On: Georgia and SB 129
New Religious Freedom Bill Introduced In Virginia
Georgia Clergy Sign Letter Protesting Religious Exemptions
Save The Day: Celebrating Real Religious Freedom
Saturday is Religious Freedom Day. While it’s not one of our most well-known or popular holidays, Religious Freedom Day shouldn’t be overlooked. Our country is in the middle of a campaign, spearheaded by far-right religious groups and their political allies, to redefine religious freedom. We cannot allow this to happen.
Wedding Venue Has No Religious Right to Discriminate, Says NY Court
Good news out of New York: today an appeals court rejected efforts by a commercial wedding venue, Liberty Ridge Farm, refused to allow a same-sex couple to rent the venue for its wedding. The venue’s conduct violated New York’s antidiscrimination law, which prohibits (among other things) discrimination the basis of sexual orientation by public accommodations. Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious-right group, the wedding venue argued that its antigay discrimination was protected by the rights to free speech, free association, and the free-exercise of religion.
Spotlight On: Kentucky's Marriage Bills
Today we examine bills four pre-filed bills from Kentucky that would allow individuals, including government officials, to deny marriage licenses or refuse to solemnize marriages and one that would change the state’s role in marriage. HB 14, 17, 28, 31 and SB 5 would each amend Kentucky law in various ways but all with similar intent – to discriminate against LGBT couples who have the desire, and constitutional right, to marry.
Kentucky Owes Marriage Equality Lawyers $1.1 Million
Like the citizens of Alabama before them, Kentucky taxpayers are going to see over a million of their dollars going to the lawyers who fought the state's marriage equality ban.
Spotlight On: Florida's HB 401
Today, we examine Florida’s HB 401. HB 401 would add a new section to Florida’s existing Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
New Virginia Bill Would Satisfy All The Kim Davis-Wannabes In The State
State Of Disunion: FRC Head Uses Fear To Motivate His Base
President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address last night was partly an attempt to calm a nation that is filled with anxiety. His words also offered a stark contrast to those of a Religious Right leader who seems to enjoy fanning the flames of fear.