JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nearly 100 opponents are rallying at Missouri’s Capitol against a measure to grant religious protections to some businesses that decline to provide goods or services for same-sex weddings.
Members of the Missouri LGBT advocacy group PROMO and others on Thursday delivered petitions against the legislation to GOP House leaders.
The proposal would amend the state Constitution to ban government penalties against businesses that deny on religious grounds services of “expressional or artistic creation” for same-sex couples’ weddings. That could cover bakers or florists.
The measure passed the Senate earlier this month after a failed 37-hour filibuster by Democrats, who argued it would permit discrimination against same-sex couples.
The legislation is up for a House hearing. If it passes the Legislature, it would head to voters for approval.