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2016 SESSION

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SB 41 Religious freedom; marriage solemnization, participation, and beliefs.

Introduced by: Charles W. Carrico, Sr. | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Religious freedom; solemnization of marriage. Provides that no person shall be (i) required to participate in the solemnization of any marriage or (ii) subject to any penalty, any civil liability, or any other action by the Commonwealth, or its political subdivisions or representatives or agents, solely on account of such person's belief, speech, or action in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman. The bill defines "person" as any (a) religious organization, (b) organization supervised or controlled by or operated in connection with a religious organization, (c) individual employed by a religious organization while acting in the scope of his paid or volunteer employment, (d) successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, or (e) clergy member or minister. The bill also defines "penalty."

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Religious freedom; solemnization of marriage. Provides that no individual authorized to solemnize any marriage shall be required to do so and no religious organization shall be required to provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization of any marriage if the action would cause the individual or organization to violate a sincerely held religious belief. The bill also provides that no liability shall arise from a refusal to solemnize a marriage or provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization of any marriage and that the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions shall not take any other action to penalize such individual or organization for such a refusal. The bill provides that its provisions are declarative of existing law.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Religious freedom; solemnization of marriage. Provides that no individual authorized to solemnize any marriage shall be required to do so and no religious organization shall be required to provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization of any marriage if the action would cause the individual or organization to violate a sincerely held religious belief. The bill also provides that no liability shall arise from a refusal to solemnize a marriage or provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization of any marriage and that the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions shall not take any other action to penalize such individual or organization for such a refusal.