Post by Logan on Apr 13, 2016 22:57:00 GMT -6
Missouri debate over ‘religious freedom’ divides GOP’s most loyal constituencies
More than a dozen TV cameras lined up along the walls of the Missouri Capitol basement’s largest hearing room, and a capacity crowd jostled for seats in the audience.
Most had already been there for hours before the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee finally came into session just after 8 p.m. Tuesday. They had arrived early hoping to get a seat and have their voices heard on what’s become the most controversial issue confronting state lawmakers this year: Senate Joint Resolution 39, a proposed “religious freedom” amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
For more than four hours, stretching past midnight, religious leaders, business executives, LGBT advocates and others took turns making their cases to the committee on the impact of amending the state’s constitution to protect certain individuals and businesses that cite religious beliefs to deny service to same-sex couples.
Does the bill promote discrimination or does it protect religious liberty? Will it be a blow to Missouri’s economy or a boon?
Read more: www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article71583302.html
More than a dozen TV cameras lined up along the walls of the Missouri Capitol basement’s largest hearing room, and a capacity crowd jostled for seats in the audience.
Most had already been there for hours before the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee finally came into session just after 8 p.m. Tuesday. They had arrived early hoping to get a seat and have their voices heard on what’s become the most controversial issue confronting state lawmakers this year: Senate Joint Resolution 39, a proposed “religious freedom” amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
For more than four hours, stretching past midnight, religious leaders, business executives, LGBT advocates and others took turns making their cases to the committee on the impact of amending the state’s constitution to protect certain individuals and businesses that cite religious beliefs to deny service to same-sex couples.
Does the bill promote discrimination or does it protect religious liberty? Will it be a blow to Missouri’s economy or a boon?
Read more: www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article71583302.html