

Brian Kelsey

Senator Brian Kelsey of Germantown is sponsoring a bill in the Tennessee General Assembly aimed at protecting religious organizations that choose to deny services in conjunction with a civil union, domestic partnership, or gay marriage.

Kelsey's SB2566 "permits persons and religious or denominational organizations, based on sincere religious belief, to refuse to provide services or goods in furtherance of a civil union, domestic partnership, or marriage not recognized by the Tennessee Constitution." It's being co-sponsored in the House by Representative Bill Dunn of Knoxville.

It's not clear how far religious organizations could take this, if passed. But a post on the Tennessee Equality Project's website poses the question of whether or not medical institutions run by religious organizations could refuse medical services to someone in a same-sex relationship.

The bill was filed on February 5th, and so far, there has been no further movement with the bill.