Mississippi House bill supports union of man, woman

No discriminatory action could be taken against anyone who believes marriage should be a union between a man and a woman under a bill passed Friday in the House.

The House voted 80-39 to pass House Bill 1523, which originally was called the Religious Liberty Accommodations Act. The name was changed in committee to the Protecting Freedom of Conscience From Government Discrimination Act.

House Judiciary B Chairman Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, said the bill protects anyone who believes marriage is between a man and woman from any form of discrimination.

The Religious Liberty Accommodations Act says:

•  Marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman
•  Sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage
•   Male (man) or female (woman) refer to an individual’s immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics at time of birth.

Gipson said the bill applies to individuals, churches, pastors, faith-based schools, and others.

The bill, filed by House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, is in response to a county clerk in Kentucky being jailed for five days last year for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.

State Rep. Adrienne Wooten, D-Jackson, a member of the Judiciary A Committee, voted against the House bill. Wooten said the bill would give people the right to discriminate against those who don't share the belief that a marriage is between a man and a woman..

"I think you're wrong," Gipson said to Wooten. "This bill is just to protect against discrimination for people who have the belief that marriage is the union of a man and a woman."

Wooten said the Legislature has no business making such laws. "We have no nothing to do with how someone chooses to live their life," she said.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Mississippi, decried the decision by Mississippi lawmakers to move forward with H.B. 1523 and said the legislation would allow individuals, religious organizations and private associations to use religion to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Mississippians, in some of the most important aspect of their lives, including at work, at schools, in their family life and more.

“Quite simply, this bill is not about religion; it is about discrimination,” said HRC Mississippi State Director and former United Methodist pastor Rob Hill. “The reprehensible legislation advanced by House Judiciary B today will without a doubt have widespread, hurtful consequences not just for LGBT people and their families, but for the entire Magnolia State."

Some of the other bills passed out of House Judiciary A on Thursday:

House Bill 553 — increases the penalty for human trafficking of a child up to life in prison and maximum fine of $500,000. For anyone trafficking someone over the age of 18, the penalty would be 25 years to life and up to a $250,000 fine. If passed, the bill would go into effect July, 1.

House Bill 1294 — restricts a county or city from adopting ordinances or regulations restricting the possession, sale, purchase, transfer, licensing, manufacture, ownership or use of a knife. It would basically give the same rights as those in place for guns. If passed, it would go into effect July 1.

House Bill 574 — increases the penalty for shoplifting and will make it a felony offense on the third conviction. The bill says that upon a third or subsequent shoplifting conviction, a defendant will be guilty of a felony and will face up to five years in prison and maximum fine of $5,000.The bill also lowers the amount from $1,000 to $500 for it to be felony.  If passed, it would go into effect July 1.

House Bill 782 --- says any laws regulating guns would be unenforceable unless passed by the U.S. House and Senate and signed by the president. The bill is aimed at executive orders that might be put in place by the president. If passed, it would go into effect July 1.

All legislation passed by the committee goes to the full House.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at (601) 961-7212 or jgates@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.