Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2065 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Estes, et al. S.B. No. 2065
2		-	(Sanford, Cook, Geren, Harless, Farney)
	1	+	S.B. No. 2065
3	2
4	3
5		-	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	4		AN ACT
7	5		relating to the rights of certain religious organizations and
8	6		individuals relating to a marriage that violates a sincerely held
9	7		religious belief.
10	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	9		SECTION 1. Chapter 2, Family Code, is amended by adding
12	10		Subchapter G to read as follows:
13	11		SUBCHAPTER G. FREEDOM OF RELIGION WITH RESPECT TO RECOGNIZING OR
14	12		PERFORMING CERTAIN MARRIAGES
15	13		Sec. 2.601. RIGHTS OF CERTAIN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. A
16	14		religious organization, an organization supervised or controlled
17	15		by or in connection with a religious organization, an individual
18	16		employed by a religious organization while acting in the scope of
19	17		that employment, or a clergy or minister may not be required to
20	18		solemnize any marriage or provide services, accommodations,
21	19		facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the
22	20		solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage if the
23	21		action would cause the organization or individual to violate a
24	22		sincerely held religious belief.
25	23		Sec. 2.602. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION
26	24		PROHIBITED. A refusal to provide services, accommodations,
27	25		facilities, goods, or privileges under Section 2.601 is not the
28	26		basis for a civil or criminal cause of action or any other action by
29	27		this state or a political subdivision of this state to penalize or
30	28		withhold benefits or privileges, including tax exemptions or
31	29		governmental contracts, grants, or licenses, from any protected
32	30		organization or individual.
33	31		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
34	32		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
35	33		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
36	34		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
37	35		Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	36	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	37	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	38	+	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2065 passed the Senate on
	39	+	May 11, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 21, Nays 9.
	40	+	______________________________
	41	+	Secretary of the Senate
	42	+	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2065 passed the House on
	43	+	May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, one
	44	+	present not voting.
	45	+	______________________________
	46	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	47	+	Approved:
	48	+	______________________________
	49	+	Date
	50	+	______________________________
	51	+	Governor