FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 18, 2014
CONTACT: Hedy Weinberg, ACLU-TN Executive Director, 615-320-7142
NASHVILLE – A bill that would have made Tennessee the first state in the nation to codify into state law the use of religion to discriminate will not be considered during this year’s legislative session.
The bill was put into General Subcommittee, effectively ending the journey of SB 2566 for this legislative session.
Under the guise of protecting religious freedom, SB 2566 would have allowed individuals, businesses and organizations to use religion to discriminate against LGBT and other unmarried couples by refusing to provide them goods or services.
The following can be attributed to Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee:
"ACLU-TN is gratified that this dangerous bill will not be moving forward. Religious freedom is not a free pass to discriminate. Tennesseans value treating people fairly and with respect, and ACLU-TN will remain vigilant to ensure that all Tennesseans are protected from discrimination no matter whom they love."
