Several airports (including San Antonio) have banned Chick-fil-A from opening due to anti-LGBTQ controversy, and now Texas is trying to prevent government-run organizations from retaliating against the chain.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the "Save Chick-fil-A" bill (officially titled Senate Bill 1978) was approved late last week after a 19 to 12 vote. Now it will move forward to the House for further debate.
So what's the deal with this new legislature? Here are the deets: It was written by Senator Bryan Hughes and it will "prevent any government entity from taking 'adverse actions' against an individual or business for their 'membership in, affiliation with, or contribution, donation or other support to a religious organization."
Though supporters have argued in favor of the bill as a protection of first amendment rights, adversaries are calling it anti-LGBTQ. "The bill does nothing but target the LGBT community," Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston said, according to the outlet. "It sends the wrong message that Texas discriminates, plain and simple."
The Texas House LGBTQ Caucus killed a similar bill last week, before Hughes brought forward (and then fast-tracked) his own bill on the Senate floor. "I challenge anyone to find one word of discrimination in this bill," he said following the vote. "This bill clearly and simply provides that if you affiliate with or make a donation to a religious organization, you cannot be punished by your government...This protects everyone's right to religious freedom."
The House will have until May 27 to decide on the initiative.
