Montana Moves Toward Legalizing Anti-LGBT Discrimination

Montana Republican legislators and their evangelical/Christofascist puppeteers  are proving once again that (i) they are no friends to LGBT citizens and (ii) that nothing less than a special license to discriminate against gays and others they hate will satisfy the modern day Pharisee set.  The hostility to LGBT citizens and self-prostitution to Christofascists, of course is not unique to Montana Republicans.  Today a bill is set to be passed into law in Montana which would allow Christian extremists to exempt themselves from non-discrimination laws that "interfere with their religious beliefs."  While the LGBT community is a prime target of the legislation, it is easy to visualize non-Christians, single mothers, and even blacks being open game under the bill.  Indeed, the measure is akin to the one passed in Indiana while Mike Pence was governor which caused an economic backlash against that state and led to the eventual significant amendment of that law.  Here are highlights on the disingenuousness and dishonesty of the Republican legislators backing this bill:  

The Montana House passed a bill Thursday that would allow people to challenge government regulations that interfere with their religious beliefs.

The approval, on a 59-38 vote, came a day after lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have made it clear the law couldn't be used to justify discrimination.

The bill has already passed the Senate and now goes to Gov. Greg Gianforte's desk for his signature. In testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in March, Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras said the governor supports the bill and “emphasizes this is not a license to discriminate against the LGBT.”

Under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the government would have to prove any regulations that substantially interfere with someone's religious beliefs are justified by a compelling state interest and are being accomplished by the least restrictive means possible.

The LGBTQ community opposes the bill, arguing it could lead to challenges against ordinances in several cities that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The Montana Human Rights Act does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Republican bill sponsor Sen. Carl Glimm of Kila has said religious freedom laws have been used to prevent things like criminal prosecution of Native Americans for possessing eagle feathers for religious reasons and to prevent schools from requiring Native American children to cut their hair in violation of their religious beliefs. He said his bill is not an attempt to allow challenges to non-discrimination ordinances.

House Minority Leader Kim Abbott of Helena sought to amend the bill Wednesday to say it could not be used to challenge such ordinances or the protections granted under the Montana Human Rights Act.

Republican Rep. Frank Garner of Kalispell urged support for the amendment, saying: “Because I suspect we will pass this bill today, I support this amendment if it gives comfort to those people who feel they will be subject to it."

Republican Rep. John Fuller of Whitefish opposed the amendment, saying: “Do not make me NOT do what my God tells me I have to do.”

The amendment failed on a 47-53 vote.

Opponents said more than 300 Montana businesses and organizations oppose the legislation and that other states that have passed similar measures have faced economic backlash.

“From a small brewery in Columbia Falls to one of the largest beer companies in the world that buys our barley, businesses do not like this bill and they would like it to go away," Democratic Rep. Katie Sullivan of Missoula said on Wednesday. “I think we should follow their lead and listen. If it is our goal to make Montana business-friendly, this bill moves us in the wrong direction and will make us known for discrimination instead of entrepreneurship."