Post by Logan on Feb 3, 2016 3:49:00 GMT -6
Mayors to WV lawmakers on Religious Freedom act: ‘Get out of the way’
If a bill that says it will “restore” religious freedom is approved by the West Virginia Legislature, it could lead to lawsuits for cities that have passed nondiscrimination ordinances that include LGBT protections, like Lewisburg did Tuesday morning.
Several mayors of cities that have taken steps to be LGBT-inclusive say they are opposed to the bill, titled the West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, with one mayor saying legislators promoting the bill need to “get out of the way.”
House Bill 4012 sets up a legal process for determining if state action is violating a person’s religious beliefs. Because businesses and individuals could argue that civil rights laws and ordinances don’t apply to them because of their religious beliefs, civil rights advocates fear discrimination against LGBT individuals, women and others.
Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the Human Rights Campaign, said West Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act could set the stage for lawsuits against cities that sanction employers for discriminating against LGBT customers or employees, and lawsuits against employers who require their employees to follow the city’s nondiscrimination ordinances.
See more at: www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160202/mayors-to-wv-lawmakers-on-religious-freedom-act-get-out-of-the-way#sthash.5TYpVns2.dpuf
If a bill that says it will “restore” religious freedom is approved by the West Virginia Legislature, it could lead to lawsuits for cities that have passed nondiscrimination ordinances that include LGBT protections, like Lewisburg did Tuesday morning.
Several mayors of cities that have taken steps to be LGBT-inclusive say they are opposed to the bill, titled the West Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, with one mayor saying legislators promoting the bill need to “get out of the way.”
House Bill 4012 sets up a legal process for determining if state action is violating a person’s religious beliefs. Because businesses and individuals could argue that civil rights laws and ordinances don’t apply to them because of their religious beliefs, civil rights advocates fear discrimination against LGBT individuals, women and others.
Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the Human Rights Campaign, said West Virginia’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act could set the stage for lawsuits against cities that sanction employers for discriminating against LGBT customers or employees, and lawsuits against employers who require their employees to follow the city’s nondiscrimination ordinances.
See more at: www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160202/mayors-to-wv-lawmakers-on-religious-freedom-act-get-out-of-the-way#sthash.5TYpVns2.dpuf