Texas Senate Approves Bill Allowing Licenses Professionals to Deny Services Based on Religion

[Demovictory9]

https://www.kveo.com/news/local-news/texas-senate-approves-bill-allowing-licenses-professionals-to-deny-services-based-on-religion/1909101234


BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Civil rights advocates, the LGBTQ community, and even clergy members are condemning a religious freedom bill passed by the Texas Senate that they believe opens the door to discrimination against the LGBTQ community

And local advocates are even more upset because the only democrat who voted for Senate bill 17 is state senator Eddie Lucio Jr. and community members went to Austin to let him know how they feel.

“He might have already passed it but he can hear our voice and know that he made the wrong decision and that we’re going to hold him accountable,” said Ofelia Alonso, Regional Field Coordinator for Texas Freedom Network.

Senate bill 17 in part, allows state-licensed workers such as doctors, lawyers and social workers to refuse to provide their services based on “a sincerely held religious beliefs” at a time when the author of the bill believes there is an attack on religious freedom.

The only exception is when medical services are necessary to “prevent death or imminent serious bodily injury.”

The bill has been referred to the House State Affairs Committee, with civil rights advocates hoping it dies there and never reaches the governor’s desk.

[msongs]

1. this also means religionists and xtians can be denied services by not-xtians nt

[mr_lebowski]

2. Maybe Muslims could get away with not serving xtians, but atheists won't

... given that atheism is, by definition, the absence of 'sincere religious faith'.

And I certainly wouldn't want to go to court trying to argue that atheism is a specific type of religion, myself. Cause it's not.

[sdfernando]

3. I believe Pastafarianism is a recognized religion

Somewhere. Perhaps atheist could adopt that and then have a basis for denial???

[BSdetect]

4. Best to boycott any "professional" who does deny services.