| 1 | 1 | | By: Cain H.B. No. 4512 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the rights of persons relating to a marriage that |
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| 7 | 7 | | violates a sincerely held religious belief. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 2.601, Family Code, is amended to read as |
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| 10 | 10 | | follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 2.601. RELIGIOUS RIGHTS RELATED TO SOLEMNIZING OR |
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| 12 | 12 | | PROVIDING SERVICES FOR MARRIAGE CEREMONY [OF CERTAIN RELIGIOUS |
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| 13 | 13 | | ORGANIZATIONS]. An individual, religious organization, an |
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| 14 | 14 | | organization supervised or controlled by or in connection with a |
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| 15 | 15 | | religious organization, an individual employed by a religious |
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| 16 | 16 | | organization while acting in the scope of that employment, or a |
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| 17 | 17 | | clergy or minister may not be required to solemnize any marriage or |
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| 18 | 18 | | provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges |
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| 19 | 19 | | for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, or |
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| 20 | 20 | | celebration of any marriage if the action would cause the |
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| 21 | 21 | | organization or individual to violate a sincerely held religious |
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| 22 | 22 | | belief of the organization or individual. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Section 2.602, Family Code, is amended to read as |
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| 24 | 24 | | follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 2.602. DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGIOUS BELIEF |
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| 26 | 26 | | [AGAINST RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION] PROHIBITED. A refusal to provide |
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| 27 | 27 | | services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges under |
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| 28 | 28 | | Section 2.601 is not the basis for: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) a civil cause of action by any person; or |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) a criminal cause of action or any other action by |
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| 31 | 31 | | this state or a political subdivision of this state to penalize or |
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| 32 | 32 | | withhold benefits or privileges, including tax exemptions or |
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| 33 | 33 | | governmental contracts, grants, or licenses, from any protected |
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| 34 | 34 | | organization or individual. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. Section 2.602, Family Code, as amended by this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act, applies only to a cause of action that accrues or an action |
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| 37 | 37 | | taken on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 39 | 39 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 40 | 40 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 41 | 41 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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