Iowa House to Consider Bill Protecting Discriminatory Business Practices

On Wednesday, an Iowa House subcommittee will consider House Study Bill 50, called the Religious Conscience Protection Act.  The bill provides protection against civil claims and lawsuits for any person, business or organization that justifies denying jobs, housing, and other goods and services to married couples by claiming that doing so would violate their religious definition of marriage. Legal scholars and equality advocates assert that because the bill is so broad, it could be used to deny these services to a diversity of married couples, including gay and lesbian couples, interfaith couples and couples who cannot procreate. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Richard Anderson (R-Clarinda) who said last week that he opposes Iowa?s current marriage equality policy, adopted in 2009. Anderson maintains that his bill is intended to protect religious liberty. Last year, a similar bill was introduced and garnered 21 sponsors, but it failed to emerge from the committee process. Even if the new bill passes in the House, it is expected to die in the Senate, where Democratic Majority Leader Michael Gronstal has defended marriage equality.Related Media Coverage:Des Moines Register - February 8, 2011"Bill in Iowa House Aims to Protect Same-Sex Marriage Objectors"http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110208/NEWS10/102080371/Bill-in-Iowa-House-aims-to-protect-same-sex-marriage-objectors?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

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