A Democratic state lawmaker has offered an amendment to a bill that would allow anyone to refuse service to LGBT people.
Two years ago the National Organization For Marriage posted the above image on their Facebook page in support of a B&B owner who refused service to a same-sex couple. NOM would like the law to support that sign, and now, so would several lawmakers in Oklahoma.
Last week Republican State Senator Joseph Silk told the New York Times that gay people “don’t have a right to be served in every single store.” He later doubled down, writing, “The right to provide services should be the decision of the business owners. We need to keep our country free and stop this radical, intolerant, movement.”
Another lawmaker, GOP State Rep. Chuck Strohm, has filed HB1371, the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which “protects” the marriage industry from serving same-sex couples “against the person’s religious beliefs.”
Now, Oklahoma State Rep. Emily Virgin is working to fix Sen. Strohm’s bill.
She believes if lawmakers give businesses the right to discriminate against LGBT people, then lawmakers should require businesses to post a sign stating that they discriminate against LGBT people.
Raw Story’s David Edwards reports an “amendment to HB1371 introduced by Virgin on Tuesday would require religious businesses to come out of the closet.”
“Any person not wanting to participate in any of the activities set forth in subsection A of this section based on sexual orientation, gender identity or race of either party to the marriage shall post notice of such refusal in a manner clearly visible to the public in all places of business, including websites,†the amendment reads. “The notice may refer to the person’s religious beliefs, but shall state specifically which couples the business does not serve by referring to a refusal based upon sexual orientation, gender identity or race.â€
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