Image Credit: Gino Bulso / Facebook & Antony-22 / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Despite Democrat outrage, several bills by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61) focused on LGBT issues, putting Bible reading in schools, and increasing accountability for abortion pill providers have continued to progress in the Tennessee House, with one passing the full House and the others making their way through the committee process.
The bill currently causing the most uproar with LGBT advocates is HB1473 which reasserts that private citizens and organizations cannot be compelled to recognize same sex marriages. The bill reaffirms that the14th Amendment is indented for application of state actions through government entities, not private individuals or organizations, in matters related to marriage.
It also prohibits the Tennessee Judiciary board from disciplining, sanctioning or threatening to discipline or sanction any person for “declining to celebrate of officiate at a marriage or commitment ceremony” that falls outside the state’s traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman.
HB1473 passed the House 68-24 along party lines. The Senate companion, SB1746 carried by Sen. Janice Bowling, is still waiting to have a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The rest of these bills by Rep. Bulso have all passed at least one subcommittee or full committee and will likely be heard again next week:
HB1472– “Banning Bostock Act”
This bill is intended to challenge a Supreme Court ruling making sexual orientation and other LGBT ideologies protected classed under discrimination laws. It would have Tennessee courts exclude sexual orientation, gender identity, and abortion related acts from the definition of sex-based discrimination while still protecting the creation and enforcement of sex-segregated spaces like restrooms, locker rooms, dormitories, or sports teams.
The legislation has passed the House Civil Justice Subcommittee and is headed to the House Judiciary Committee.
HB1474– “No Pride Flag or Month Act”
As the bill’s title indicates, this legislation would prevent Pride flags or emblems from being displayed in state-owned facilities, including schools, and ensure there is no governmental recognition of a “Pride Month” at any time during the year.
The bill passed the House State and Local Government Committee last week but must also go through the House Judiciary Committee and before proceeding to the House floor.
HB1491– “Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act”
This Act would mandate public schools provide a time for students and staff to engage in voluntary prayer or religious text readings and that schools teach the Bible as literature and in a historical context.
Schools could not teach the Bible as religious dogma or to “coerce” students to accepting it as divinely inspired, and students can also be opted out of the lessons with written requests from their parents. The voluntary prayer times must be offered to students and employees on each school day and could consist of silent individual prayer or groups could have a designated prayer time, but parents would be required to give schools written permission for their children to participate.
Passing the House Civil Justice Subcommittee along party lines, HB1491 will be heard by the full House Judiciary Committee next.
HB1528– Increase Civil Liabilities For Abortion Pill Providers & Distributors
On the surface, the bill appears to deal solely with increasing compensation amounts for civil actions. But added amendments would create standing to more people than just the mother of a child killed via an abortion pill and would increase the possible amount to recover at trial to $5 million.
Furthermore, it expands the definition of a “catastrophic loss” to include the wrongful death of an unborn child at any stage of gestation if the baby died due to abortifacients sent to the mother through the mail.
The bill has already passed several House committees and is set to be heard by the House Health Committee on March 3. The Senate passed its version of the bill, SB0419, at the end of last year’s legislative session, so assuming HB0005 can make it to the House floor, there is a decent chance it will become law.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
