Government-issued licenses, etc.; obtaining or renewing, conscience clause. (HB1414)

Introduced By

Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas) with support from co-patron Del. Mark Berg (R-Winchester)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Obtaining or renewing government-issued licenses, etc.; conscience clause. Provides that a person shall not be required to perform, assist, consent to, or participate in any action or refrain from performing, assisting, consenting to, or participating in any action as a condition of obtaining or renewing a government-issued license, registration, or certificate where such condition would violate the religious or moral convictions of such person with respect to same-sex marriage or homosexual behavior.. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
12/19/2014Committee
12/19/2014Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/14/15 15101161D
12/19/2014Referred to Committee on General Laws
01/23/2015Impact statement from VDH (HB1414)
01/28/2015Assigned GL sub: Subcommittee #4
01/29/2015Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/10/2015Left in General Laws

Comments

Secular Coalition for Virginia, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The Secular Coalition of Virginia condemns this bill in the strongest terms possible. This attempt at a conscience clause only serves to rob the gay community of Virginia its hard fought victory in marriage equality. Under no circumstances should any public employee deny basic government services simply because they personally disapprove of a citizen's choice of spouse.

ACLU-VA LGBT Rights, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia strongly opposes this legislation. This legislation is nothing more than a state-sanctioned license to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Virginians, including married same-sex couples, simply because of who they are. The bill would do nothing more than reignite the Commonwealth’s historical hostility toward LGBT Virginians. We’ve been down the path of legalized discrimination before, and the members of the General Assembly should know that this is not a path we should willingly walk ever again.
Religious freedom in America ensures that every person has the right to freely express and practice his or her own personal, religious beliefs. That freedom does not, however, grant individuals, professionals or employers a free pass to discriminate against others in the name of those beliefs. Sadly, discrimination under the cloak of religion is nothing new, and the transparency of that cloak is as clear now as it was 50 years ago when some business owners used it to challenge the end of legal segregation of the races in public accommodations. The issue is simple – either you support discrimination or you oppose it. The members of the General Assembly should make clear that they oppose discrimination by rejecting this legislation.

ACLU-VA writes:

The ACLU of Virginia strongly opposes this legislation. This legislation is nothing more than a state-sanctioned license to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Virginians, including married same-sex couples, simply because of who they are. The bill would do nothing more than reignite the Commonwealth’s historical hostility toward LGBT Virginians. We’ve been down the path of legalized discrimination before, and the members of the General Assembly should know that this is not a path we should willingly walk ever again.

Religious freedom in America ensures that every person has the right to freely express and practice his or her own personal, religious beliefs. That freedom does not, however, grant individuals, professionals or employers a free pass to discriminate against others in the name of those beliefs. Sadly, discrimination under the cloak of religion is nothing new, and the transparency of that cloak is as clear now as it was 50 years ago when some business owners used it to challenge the end of legal segregation of the races in public accommodations. The issue is simple – either you support discrimination or you oppose it. The members of the General Assembly should make clear that they oppose discrimination by rejecting this legislation.

M. Stewart writes:

This is truly a horrible and discriminatory bill.

ACLU-VA Legislative Agenda, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia strongly opposes this legislation. This legislation is nothing more than a state-sanctioned license to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Virginians, including married same-sex couples, simply because of who they are. The bill would do nothing more than reignite the Commonwealth’s historical hostility toward LGBT Virginians. We’ve been down the path of legalized discrimination before, and the members of the General Assembly should know that this is not a path we should willingly walk ever again.
Religious freedom in America ensures that every person has the right to freely express and practice his or her own personal, religious beliefs. That freedom does not, however, grant individuals, professionals or employers a free pass to discriminate against others in the name of those beliefs. Sadly, discrimination under the cloak of religion is nothing new, and the transparency of that cloak is as clear now as it was 50 years ago when some business owners used it to challenge the end of legal segregation of the races in public accommodations. The issue is simple – either you support discrimination or you oppose it. The members of the General Assembly should make clear that they oppose discrimination by rejecting this legislation.