Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed a bill Wednesday allowing public officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages. State lawmakers approved Tennessee House Bill 878 last week. The legislation s…

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee ® signed a bill Wednesday allowing public officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages.

State lawmakers approved Tennessee House Bill 878 last week. The legislation states people “shall not be required to solemnize a marriage” if they refuse to doing so based on their “conscience or religious beliefs.” According to the Tennessee Legislature website, the governor signed the bill Wednesday.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    111·
    9 months ago

    Ministers and churches are not public officials.

    Ministers and churches already had that right.

    You are simply incorrect.

    • Lemmeenym@lemm.eeEnglish
      9·
      9 months ago

      Yes I was, sorry. This is even more useless than I thought. The Kim Davis case has already established that public officials have an obligation to perform their duties without regard for the sexuality of the people they serve. The law has already been preempted by federal law and precedent in the 6th Circuit which is the appeals court with jurisdiction over Tennessee.