Texas Legislature passed “license to discriminate” bill similar to Arizona’s in 1999
As battles rage over anti-gay “license to discriminate” bills in Arizona and elsewhere, it’s worth noting that Texas already has a similar law on the books.
It’s called the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and it was passed by the Legislature in 1999. Although it is slightly less broad, the TRFRA is very similar to SB 1062 in Arizona.
Like SB 1062, the Texas law prohibits any state or local government agency from substantially burdening a person’s free exercise of religion, unless there’s a compelling interest and the government action is the least restrictive means of furthering that interest. The “free exercise of religion” is defined as anything that’s “substantially motivated by sincere religious beliefs,” regardless of whether it’s “central” to those religious beliefs.
The TRFRA also states that, “A person whose free exercise of religion has been substantially burdened … may assert that violation as a defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding without regard to whether the proceeding is brought in the name of the state or by any other person.”
More at http://www.lonestarq.com/exclusive-license-discriminate-bill-similar-arizonas-introduced-texas-legislature-2013/ .
Cross-posted in the Texas Group.
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