Republicans in the Georgia Senate are likely to pass legislation aimed at protecting Americans from government efforts that trample on religious freedom.
Although the proposed bill primarily mirrors the federal Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, it would also include LGBT activist groups and other extremists who are openly hostile to orthodox religious beliefs, particularly those regarding marriage and sexual morality. The faction is sounding the alarm, claiming that Senate Bill 180 is a “license.” to discriminate. ”
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Republican State Sen. Ed Setzler’s SB 180, titled “Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act” is a legislative effort to ensure that the First Amendment right to free exercise is on the same level as freedom of speech, assembly, and press.
“In 2017, the Georgia Attorney General stated that without the state’s religious freedom law, Georgia does not have full religious protections, and that state and local governments cannot protect people’s religious beliefs on any reasonable basis. “We have acknowledged that we are allowing people to violate their fundamental right to practice,” Setzler said.
Said georgia recorder.
To correct the imbalance, SB180 would force Georgia to adopt a federally mandated interest test.
Religious Freedom Restoration Act “In the manner in which it applies to state and local actions in Georgia.”
Accordingly, state law requires that the government, defined as “any branch, department, agency, instrumentality, officer, or other person acting under the laws of this state,” “even if… It would be amended to “eliminate any substantial burden on an individual’s religious practice.” This burden arises from generally applicable regulations. ”
Governments may only do so if they can demonstrate that such burdens are for the “advancement of compelling governmental interests” and are the “least restrictive means of furthering such compelling governmental interests.” It can impose a substantial burden on an individual’s religious activities.
The bill also allows persons whose religious rights have been burdened without proof of such an exception to be able to take legal action and obtain relief against the government.
SB 180 successfully passed the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee on a 6-3 vote along party lines.
atlanta journal constitution
shown Supporters say they expect SB 180 to pass and eventually be ratified because it does not depart from federal religious freedom laws. After all, this is clearly a sticking point for Gov. Brian Kemp (R). swore When he ran for governor in 2018, he said he would accept only a “mirror image” of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.
National background and backlash
Setzler suggested that in addition to the federal government, 34 other states have similar laws in place, including Montana and South Dakota, which joined the Conservation Party in 2021.
In recent weeks, Republicans in other states have taken steps to strengthen religious freedom protections.
For example, the Iowa Senate passed
Senate File 2095 Kentucky Republicans are likely to pass House Bill 47, which would strengthen the state’s existing religious freedom laws and ensure Kentuckians receive a “fair court” in this case. that their religious freedom is being violated by government action or force;
Similar to recovery efforts in Kentucky and Iowa, SB 180 has been met with anger and condemnation from the left in Georgia.
ACLU of Georgia
Claim SB 180 is “not about protecting religious freedom, it’s about creating a license to discriminate against the LGBTQ community.”
“I hope that the government certainly has a compelling interest in protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people who may be discriminated against in the name of religious freedom.”
Said Sarah Hunt-Blackwell of the ACLU of Georgia.
The Georgia Recorder highlighted Hunt-Blackwell’s criticism that the bill does not fully reflect federal law because it omits a provision prohibiting the government from establishing a religion.
“The establishment clause is not optional,” Hunt-Blackwell said. “This is quite literally written into the fabric of our Constitution. Its language is that the government cites that no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. , literally stated.”
Georgia Equality, an LGBT activist group, parrots the ACLU’s Georgia talking points.
claim“SB 180 would create a broad license to discriminate on the basis of faith without the necessary protections against discrimination based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, and more. ”
left-wing Bishop Oliver Clyde Allen III, who oversees Vision Cathedral in Atlanta, and activist Rabbi Michael Rothbaum, who provides gay pronouns.
written An editorial in the Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution depicts supporters of SB 180 as “extremists” engaging in “xenophobic policies disguised as religious values.”
Left-wing faith leaders insisted that religious freedom was “not under threat” and that “freedom of expression only goes so far as to violate our dignity.”
Last year, when SB 180 was first introduced, there was a similar wave of left-wing strokes. For example, Democratic state Sen. Nan Ornoch
complained The bill would allow religious health professionals to refuse to write prescriptions or provide medical services if it violates their religious beliefs.
“While there is a lot of rhetoric and contention about what this bill is about, the fact is that RFRA has more than 30 years of experience applying legitimate interests on both sides of the issue and applying them in a fair and balanced manner,” Setzler said. “There is a history of ”
“Government interests can be achieved, but in a way that takes into account individual rights in every possible way,” Setzler added.
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