Washington State Bill Would Allow Businesses To Discriminate Against Gays

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/04/26/1925671/washington-discrimination/

By Zack Ford posted from ThinkProgress LGBT on Apr 26, 2013

Republicans in Washington state have proposed a bill that would allow businesses to openly discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation if they want to do so because of their religious beliefs. SB 5927 carves out a specific exception to the state’s nondiscrimination law that says only federal protections — which don’t include sexual orientation — apply when a person’s religious belief is “burdened”:

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Unsurprisingly, the bill’s sponsor is state Sen. Sharon Brown (R), whose district is home to Arlene’s Flowers, a business facing two lawsuits because it refused to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding.

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