Religions Freedom “FADA” Sponsor Kirk: Moving On
Senator Greg Kirk, sponsor of the “First Amendment Defense Act” which became part of HB 757 when attached to the less controversial Pastor Protection Act, has decided that he is “moving on” with respect to sponsorship of religious freedom bills in next year’s General Assembly. As reported by Jill Nolan in the Dalton Citizen, Kirk says of the current vetoed bill:
“I respectfully disagree with Gov. Deal’s decision,” he said of the expanded bill that would have shielded clergy from being forced to officiate at same-sex weddings and would have protected individuals from being required to attend weddings.
Also, it created stricter standards for government interference in a person’s religious practice, while allowing faith groups to deny services to individuals unless they had a contractual agreement with the government that said otherwise.
Kirk, a first-term senator and former Baptist minister, said the bill was “deliberately drawn” and wasn’t discriminatory.
“In my opinion, the governor gave into bullying,” he said.
Kirk’s decision to focus on other legislation does not mean attempts at passing a religious freedom bill are dead, but it does mean that there will likely be new faces attached to the movement. Perhaps other sponsor(s) may also realize that while their leadership tenure was 40 years (or three sessions) of wandering in the desert, perhaps a Joshua needs to be located to deliver the bill into the promised land of a Governor’s signature.
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Charlie
Founder of GeorgiaPol.com; Now weekly columnist Very interested in Georgia and Georginas. Interest in politics is waning daily.
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He probably got sick of watching McKoon steal the spotlight, always making McKoon the face of the bill.
Late to the party, but I’m back. Missed Ya’ll.
Deal says he vetoes HB 757 because 1st Amendment doesn’t need additional legislation. Sen. Kirk says law needed to uphold 1st Amendment religious rights. Parallel universes proven to exist.
The “bill that would have shielded clergy from being forced to officiate at same-sex weddings. ” Already guaranteed by US Constitution. Move on.
HB 757 “would have protected individuals from being required to attend weddings.” Does this really need legislation? SERIOUSLY??? From the state that gave us the Runaway Bride ™?
I skipped a couple of family weddings. They were probably relieved. I can still go home for the holidays. No warrants out for my arrest.
Promoters say HB 757 does not discriminate. Anyone with proper reading skills disagrees. see link below.
The kicker is this, “The state still legally allows anti-LGBTQ discrimination, even without a religious freedom law. Georgia, like most states, doesn’t have civil rights laws that would ban discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations. In these states, it’s not religious freedom laws that allow discrimination; it’s the lack of civil rights laws. There are some exceptions in Georgia. Atlanta, for instance, has a civil rights law that protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.” I believe HB 757 attempted to nullify that. So most of the discrimination HB 757 tried to put into law is not currently against the law in Georgia.
see article below for full text.
Here is a great article explaining the meaning and flaws of HB757: http://www.vox.com/2016/3/25/11301758/georgia-lgbtq-religious-freedom