UPDATED: Arizona Senate Passes Bill Allowing Anti-Gay Discrimination
Last edited Fri Feb 21, 2014, 12:13 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: TPM
DYLAN SCOTT – FEBRUARY 20, 2014, 9:54 AM EST
The Arizona Senate passed a "religious freedom" bill Wednesday, which would effectively allow businesses to deny services to LGBT people.
The bill passed on a party line vote, according to the Arizona Republic. The Republican House majority has already recommended passage of a similar bill in that chamber.
They are examples of one of two kinds of legislation that gay rights advocates worry could lead to LGBT discrimination, as TPM has reported. It requires the government to have a compelling reason to interfere with an individual's exercise of their religion. That broad language, advocates say, would in practice allow for businesses to discriminate against gay people.
Kentucky is the only state thus far to enact such a law, but similar bills have been introduced this year in Idaho and Mississippi.
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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/arizona-senate-anti-gay-discrimination
UPDATE:
Thanks alp227 for the link to updated news.
Arizona Legislature approves controversial religion bill
By Alia Beard Rau
The Republic | azcentral.com
Thu Feb 20, 2014 5:12 PM
The Legislature has given final approval to a controversial religion bill that’s spurring intense debate at the Legislature and across the country.
The legislation, written by the conservative advocacy group Center for Arizona Policy and the Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, would allow individuals to use religious beliefs as a defense against a lawsuit.
Opponents have dubbed it the “right to discriminate” bill, and say it could prompt an economic backlash against the state, similar to what they say occurred when the state passed the controversial immigration law Senate Bill 1070 in 2010.
Proponents argue the bill is simply a tweak to existing state religious freedom laws to better assure individuals and businesses are not forced to do something that goes against their beliefs.
more
http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20140220arizona-controversial-religion-bill-could-land-brewer-desk.html?nclick_check=1
= new reply since forum marked as read
It's funny how laws to protect their religious freedom are always about denying some kind of freedom to others. They are trying to dismantle 50 years of civil rights progress under the guise of religious freedom. You don't like a law? No problem! Just say "It violates my religious freedom." Don't like a regulation? Just say "It violates my religious freedom." Don't like treating women/African-Americans/Hispanics/homosexuals/Muslims/(insert any group of people you don't like) with respect and civility? Just say "It violates my religious freedom."
Okay Neanderthals, let's go over this again, shall we? "Religious freedom" means you can practice your religion without fear of persecution. That's it. That's all you get and whether you realize or not, that's a big f**kin' deal! "Religious freedom" does not mean you get a free pass on laws that prevent you from persecuting others. Your religious freedom ends where mine begins. When you start passing laws that allow you to hurt other people on the basis of your religion, you are violating THEIR religious freedom, which means you're the persecutor, NOT the persecuted!
with no clear winner in sight 
