Lawmakers Debate: Is It Religious Liberty Or Permission To Discriminate?

A Senate committee Monday will hear two versions of legislation that Senate GOP Leader David Long says will help protect Hoosiers’ religious liberty.  Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane calls it a measure allowing discrimination.

The proposed legislation, dubbed the religious freedom restoration bills, bar the government from burdening a person’s exercise of religion unless there’s a compelling governmental interest to do so.  It closely mirrors a law passed by Congress that applies to the federal government.  But Lanane says he’s concerned that the bill is being pushed by Republicans to serve a political agenda.

“Because in the name of religious freedom we’re actually saying to private individuals, ‘You have the right to discriminate and use your religion as a basis for that discrimination,'” Lanane said.

But Long says in the two decades the law has existed at the federal level, it’s never been allowed to be used to discriminate against anyone.

“So I don’t think there’s any record of that happening and that’s important to note as people say, ‘Well, this is all this is is discrimination,’" Long said. "It’s not."

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hear the bills Monday afternoon.