Texas Lawmakers Begin Week Focusing On Anti-Gay Bills By Voting To Shield Clergy And Churches

Texas lawmakers will vote on several anti-gay bills this week, starting today. A bill that allows all clergy members – including those employed by the state as county clerks or justices of the peace – to refuse to marry same-sex couples, has just passed the Texas Senate.

The Texas State Senate has just passed a bill that allows all clergy members to refuse to officiate at weddings of same-sex couples. Of course, no clergy member can be forced to officiate at the wedding of any couple they chose to not marry, but when that clergy member is an employee of the state, some argue they have a duty to do their job.

Texas bill SB 2065 would allow these clergy members to bow out of that role.

But the bill, which passed today 21-10, would go much further.

LOOK: Lawmaker Totally Certain His Unconstitutional Bill Will Override Supreme Court Marriage Ruling

“A religious organization, an organization supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, an individual employed by a religious organization while acting in the scope of that employment, or a clergy or minister may not be required to solemnize any marriage or provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage if the action would cause the organization or individual to violate a sincerely held religious belief.”

In other words, any “religious organization,” which the bill does not define, can refuse any goods or services if the recipient is a same-sex couple getting married.

The bill also shields clergy and these religious organizations from being sued.

“The First Amendment already protects clergy from being forced to officiate religious ceremonies that violate their consciences, so it’s unnecessary to pass a bill to protect against this,” Sarah Jones of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, tells the Dallas Voice. “But if a member of the clergy accepts a job as a public official, they have a duty to uphold the laws of the state and municipality in which they serve, and should treat all people equally and fairly.”

Tuesday will bring a vote on a bill that would literally defund same-sex marriage. It would not only ban clerks from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and fine them if they do, but it bans the state or any locale from spending tax payer dollars on anything related to a same-sex marriage, including recording the documents.

Related:

Texas Anti-Gay Lawmaker And Gay Son Suffer Fallout Over Anti-Discrimination Bill

Powerful GOP Congressman Links Same-Sex Marriage To Riots In Baltimore (Audio)

Texas Attorney General Sues Feds To Stop Same-Sex Spouses From Taking Care Of Each Other

 

Image by King County, WA via Flickr and a CC license
Hat tip: Dallas Voice