Missouri’s legislative session begins today. Four blatantly anti-LGBT bills have been pre-filed in December.
The language of the two anti-transgender bills include restricting public restroom or school restroom use by transgender individuals. These bills are SB 98 (Sen. Emery) and HB 202 (Rep. Pogue). Similar versions of these same bills were filed by the same legislators last year.
There are two bills both focusing on religious exemption and marriage.
HB 205 (Rep. Pogue) which reads:
Allows a person authorized to solemnize marriages to refuse to solemnize a marriage which is contrary to the religious beliefs or sincerely held moral convictions of such person.
HB 62 (Rep. Barry) which reads:
Changes the laws regarding marriage and replaces marriage licenses with contracts of domestic union.
This is following a year in which SJR 39, a proposed constitutional amendment allowing businesses to refuse services to same-sex couples based on religious beliefs, made its way quickly through the legislative process, quickly gaining national attention from a historic filibuster led by Missouri Democrat Senators. SJR 39, as well as 15 other anti-LGBT bills, did not pass in 2016.
PROMO will once again actively work to defeat these bills in 2017.
In the words of our Executive Director Steph Perkins, “Instead of attacking transgender students or marriage equality, which is already the law of the land, Missouri lawmakers should work to pass bills like the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act (MONA), ensuring hardworking Missourians, including those who are gay or transgender, have the same opportunities to have a job and provide for their families.”
Want to know how you can stay informed this legislative session? Follow #moleg on Twitter (see below), follow along with anti-LGBT and pro-LGBT bills here, sign up for our email list or follow along with our blog, sign up for Progress Missouri’s High Five at Five emails all about what is going on at the Capitol.
***Stay tuned for a blog coming up from our Manager of Public Policy, Elizabeth Fuchs, who will be your voice inside the Capitol this legislative session.
