Less than a week after State Senator Brian Kelsey of Germantown filed his bill designed to protect persons or religious organizations (both for-profit and non-profit) that choose to deny services or goods in conjunction with a civil union, domestic partnership, or gay marriage, he has pulled his sponsorship.
In the last few days, the bill has made national headlines and evoked a backlash from equality advocates who have dubbed SB2566 the “Turn the Gays Away” Bill. The bill is moving forward though with a new Senate sponsor, State Senator Mike Bell of Riceville in East Tennessee. On the House side, the bill is sponsored by Representative Bill Dunn of Knoxville.
The bill has been placed on the judicial committee calendar, which Kelsey chairs.
