If passed, legislation proposed April 26 would allow businesses to refuse service to anyone if providing said services would be contrary to the business owner’s “sincerely held religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs or matters of conscience.”
Opponents of Senate Bill 5927 immediately cried foul, claiming the bill opened the door for open discrimination against gays and lesbians.
The bill’s introduction is believed to stem from an incident at a Richland, Wash. flower shop in March 2013, when a gay couple attempting to purchase wedding decorations at Arlene’s Flowers was turned away because of the owner’s religious beliefs.
SB 5927 was originally sponsored by 12 senators, including Sen. Sharon Brown from Richland.
Joseph Backholm, executive director of the Family Policy Institute of Washington, wrote an April 26 article supporting the bill, stating, “This bill is a step in the right direction for freedom of religion and rights of conscience.”
Backholm says SB 5927 is not discriminatory because it distinguishes between discrimination based on race or religion and a decision by a business owner not to provide services for activities that violate their personal code of ethics.
The ACLU and Washington State Attorney General’s Office believe the Richland case provides significant grounds for discrimination. Both parties are bringing lawsuits against Arlene’s Flowers for their refusal of service to the gay couple.
The bill does stipulate that its provisions do not apply to groups currently protected under federal anti-discrimination laws, furthering speculation that the legislation is targeted at gays and lesbians, who are not federally protected.
Ann, on Facebook, said: This bill should require that businesses that put it into practice post a list of the people or products they will refuse to serve or sell so consumers can avoid the embarrassment of being turned away