The Missouri Senate Democrats who staged an epic nearly 40-hour filibuster of a proposed “religious freedom” (i.e. license to discriminate) bill might ultimately prevail after a House committee Wednesday failed to advance Senate Joint Resolution 39 (SJ39). The measure would put LGBT rights to popular vote, amending the state constitution so people and businesses that oppose same-sex marriage could deny certain services to gay couples on religious grounds. Jack Suntrup has the emerging details:
Republican Reps. Anne Zerr of St. Charles, Caleb Rowden of Columbia and Jim Hansen of Frankford joined with the committee's three Democrats. With a tie 6-6 vote, the measure's tumultuous journey through the Missouri Legislature is probably over. [...] Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, who sponsored the proposal, issued a statement indicating the measure was dead.
“I am deeply disappointed that Missourians will not have the opportunity to vote on protecting religious freedom. Seven weeks ago, the Missouri Senate stood strong through the longest filibuster in state history and voted 23–7 to advance SJR 39. Today, House members caved to pressure from special interests and killed the religious freedom amendment…”
This could be a huge win that has no doubt been helped by the turmoil that the states of North Carolina and Mississippi (and Indiana before them) have found themselves mired in since passing laws that target LGBT individuals for discrimination in one way or another.
Though the bill isn’t quite “dead” yet, 55 members of the House would have to sign a discharge petition to revive it and send it to a full vote in the House.
But with less than three weeks left in the session, that is unlikely.
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