Religious Freedom Bill Passes Committee With No Democrats Present

Democrats weren’t present for a vote Wednesday when the religious freedom restoration act passed out of committee. The bill’s supporters say it will help safeguard religious freedoms while opponents argue it will authorize discrimination.

None of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Democratic members were present when roll call was taken on Senate Bill 101. Chairman Brent Steele says he had stressed to the committee’s members that the hearing would begin at 8:30 a.m. Despite knowing that the Democratic members would object to the legislation, Steele started the meeting once a quorum was present.

“And I would have started my meeting with Democrats, Republicans or whatever," Steele said. "The first six warm bodies I get to sit down and do the state’s business is going to do the state’s business.”

Democratic Sen. Greg Taylor says he was caught in traffic when the hearing began.

“Well, I think that one of the things that they are probably going to say is that it passed out of committee unanimously, which gives the impression that the minority voted for it,” Taylor said.

Taylor says the Democrats will have to wait until the bill is on the Senate floor to voice their objections.