The bill would allow businesses to legally refuse service to LGBTI individuals on the basis of religious belief.
The Republican-led Senate in Kentucky has this week passed a controversial bill that has been nicknamed ‘License to Discriminate.’
Senate Bill 180 would allow businesses to legally refuse service to LGBTI individuals based on religious beliefs without facing legal penalties.
Following a debate focused on religion, the bill passed by a vote of 22-16. The bill still has to go to the Democrat-controlled House. House speaker Greg Stumbo does not believe the bill will pass the House because it is unconstitutional. He said, “We took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not violate it.”
Five of the Senate Republicans joined the Senate Democrats to oppose the bill.
The bill’s lead sponsor, Republican Senator Albert Robinson, argued that a business should be allowed to deny services if they are being asked to “use their skills to provide a customised service celebrating something that violated one of the tenets of their faith.”
He said, “There is an agenda at work here that seeks to force people with sincerely held religious convictions to either abandon those beliefs, violate them or face state action that could close their businesses and destroy them financially.”
Director of the Fairness Coalition, an organisation working for LGBTI equality in Kentucky, Chris Hartman, believes the legislation is “extremely dangerous.” Harman said, “This is as broad as it can be. If anything, this encourages people to discriminate.”
Republican Senator Julie Raque Adams has expressed concern that the bill will be seen as discriminatory and will hurt tourism to the area.