Vetoed by Governor Nathan Deal

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that authorizes a religious official or faith-based organization to decline to perform a ceremony that violates a religious belief, effective immediately.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a religious official to decline to ordain a marriage, perform a rite or administer a sacrament if the ceremony violates his or her right to free exercise of religion (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes a faith-based organization to decline to rent, lease, or approve the use of property by an individual for an event that violates the religious organization’s practices or beliefs (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a faith-based organization to decline to provide educational, social or charitable services due to the religious beliefs of the organization (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a faith-based organization to decline to hire or retain an individual whose religious beliefs are not in accordance with the “sincerely held” beliefs of the organization (Sec. 5).

• Prohibits a business from being required to operate on a Saturday or a Sunday (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a faith-based organization or employee will not be subject to a civil lawsuit for declining to provide services outlined in this bill (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and adopt additional amendments to a bill that authorizes a religious official or faith-based organization to decline to perform a ceremony that violates a religious belief, effective immediately.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a religious official to decline to ordain a marriage, perform a rite or administer a sacrament if the ceremony violates his or her right to free exercise of religion (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes a faith-based organization to decline to rent, lease, or approve the use of property by an individual for an event that violates the religious organization’s practices or beliefs (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a faith-based organization to decline to provide educational, social or charitable services due to the religious beliefs of the organization (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a faith-based organization to decline to hire or retain an individual whose religious beliefs are not in accordance with the “sincerely held” beliefs of the organization (Sec. 5).

• Prohibits a business from being required to operate on a Saturday or a Sunday (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a faith-based organization or employee will not be subject to a civil lawsuit for declining to provide services outlined in this bill (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes a religious official or faith-based organization to decline to perform a ceremony that violates a religious belief, effective immediately.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a religious official to decline to ordain a marriage, perform a rite, or administer a sacrament if the ceremony violates his or her right to free exercise of religion (Sec. 1).
• Authorizes a religious organization to decline to rent, lease, or approve the use of property by an individual for an event that violates the religious organization’s practices or beliefs (Sec. 2).
• Prohibits the state from taking any adverse action against an individual or a faith-based organization for believing, speaking, or acting in accordance to a religious belief, including the belief that marriage should only be between a man and a woman (Sec. 2). 
• Prohibits a business from being required to operate on a Saturday or a Sunday (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text