RNC To Back Religious Freedom Laws, Encourage States To Follow Fed. Bill

Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican Party, introduces Dr. Ben Watson as the luncheon speaker at the Republican National Committee meetings Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
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The Republican National Committee is expected to pass a resolution on Friday backing states’ efforts to enact religious freedom laws, but the resolution notably tells states to model their legislation off of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

According to Time Magazine, RNC’s resolutions committee passed the measure on Wednesday, and the full RNC will vote on the resolution Friday at the committee’s Spring Meeting.

“The Republican National Committee stands firm in upholding natural, human, constitutional, and, under the RFRA, statutory rights of religious freedom,” the resolution reads.

The RNC resolution follows controversy surrounding anti-gay religious freedom bills in Indiana and Arkansas. Both bills initially differed from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Following backlash from businesses in Indiana and concern that the bill would allow businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) signed a fix into law making it clear that the bill does not allow discrimination against gay people.

And before signing Arkansas’ religious freedom bill into law, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) sent the bill back to the legislature and asked lawmakers to amend the bill so that it would reflect the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Legislators in Louisiana are also considering a religious freedom bill that is broader than the original bill passed in Indiana.

The RNC resolution specifically tells states to pass laws similar to the bill passed by the federal government.

“The Republican National Committee supports and encourages States’ actions to enact laws that mirror the federal RFRA to protect citizens’ rights to lead all aspects of their lives according to their deeply held religious beliefs,” the resolution reads.

Read the entire RNC resolution below:

RNC RFRA Resolution by Zeke Miller

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Notable Replies

  1. Next up we really need to protect the most persecuted group in America, gun owners.

  2. GUn OWnERs? WhITE maLEs are the MOSt PersECUTED segMEnt of AMerica!11!1one!!!1!!!

  3. Avatar for wwss wwss says:

    About as subtle as “State’s Rights.” Also, according to their own words it seems that the Republican’s own platform is endorsing Sharia Law. I sure wish they’d make up their minds … oh, sorry, you need to have one to make it up, don’t you?

  4. The phrase “religious freedom” sounds so noble, sending up an image of the Pilgrims working their way to these shores to practice religion and eat turkey afterwards, when in fact the intent is about as vile as it gets.

  5. Trying to institutionalize discrimination right in their platform… How quaint.

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