ATLANTA — A bill that supporters say would protect religious liberties across the state is currently making its way through the Georgia legislatures, but some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle think it should include anti-discrimination protections.
Channel 2′s Richard Elliot was at the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday as the House Judiciary Committee heard the latest version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
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The bill’s sponsor, State Senator Ed Setzler (R-Acworth), says it is needed to protect people’s religious freedoms from unwarranted government intrusions.
Supporters like Mike Griffin from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board admit that there are no cases of it being needed in Georgia, but they want to make sure it’s in place in case the need arises.
“The RFRA restores the original intent of the First Amendment of the United States of America, of our Constitution,” Griffin said.
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Opponents like Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs), the legislature’s only Jewish member, say that without underlying civil rights protections, the bill could be used to discriminate.
“I cherish religious liberty as a core American value, and this legislation threatens the community it claims to protect,” Panitch said.
Elliot says that even some Republicans are questioning why there are no anti-discrimination protections in the bill.
The committee has not yet voted.
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