On Wednesday afternoon, Senate Democrats took up legislation to ‘expand’ the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act in Michigan.
The bill currently prohibits discrimination based on qualities such as race, sex, and religion.
Democrats made it one of their top legislative priorities to expand the legislation to include sexual orientation and gender identity.’
Under the new bill’s language, “gender identity or expression” is defined “as having a gender-related self-identity or expression whether or not associated with an individual’s assigned sex at birth.”
Republicans, ultimately powerless to stop the bill in the long term, attempted to include at least an amendment that would ensure people’s religious liberties were not infringed on.
Democrats shut down debate on the amendment and jammed the legislation through the Senate, and now seem ready to rush it through the House on the same day with little to no debate.
Despite Democrats offering no concessions to Senate Republicans, three of them voted to pass the bill; Senators Ruth Johnson (R-Holly), Joe Bellino (R-Monroe), and Mike Webber (R-Rochester Hills).
Only one, Senator Weber, was in a tight race in the 2022 midterm elections, while both Johnson and Bellino won their races by double-digit margins.
Senator Thomas Albert (R-Lowell), sounded the alarm about the bill’s potential to curtail the religious liberties of Michiganders, saying that religious organizations could be held liable for expressing their genuine beliefs.
“It could create a situation where religious organizations, nonprofits or even individuals are potentially held liable for simply exercising their religious beliefs,” Albert said.
We have already seen what happens in states that do not sufficiently protect religious liberties. Colorado baker Jack Phillips had to take his case all the way to the Supreme Court for his refusal to bake a cake for a gay wedding. Even after he won his case, he has suffered from a torrent of lawsuits from left-wing advocacy groups ever since.
You can find out if you are a constituent of Senator Webber, Johnson, or Bellino by following this link which will give you their offices contact information.
