Bill protecting religious groups on college campuses from being forced to accept anyone passes in Kansas

Kansas House has endorsed Bill 175, which is designed to shield religious organizations in college campuses from being forced to welcome anyone to join them regardless of their personal faith and beliefs.

The bill was advanced by lawmakers in Kansas this week in the hope to prevent universities from forcing faith-based organizations at colleges from being forced to allow anyone to become part of their groups. The vote passed 80-39.

The Senate adopted the bill in 2015, but it only reached the House during the recent session. Before it was endorsed, a lengthy debate ensued in Kansas House, the Topeka Capital Journal reports.

Supporters of the bill argue that university administrators threaten to ban or block funding for student faith-based organizations who do not accept member applicants that do not share the group's faith. GOP lawmakers say those with beliefs and faith directly contradicting those core to the groups could potentially force their way into groups at the moment. LGBT activists, as well as those following Islamic faith could forcibly join Christian student groups and vice versa, backers of the bill have claimed, which they state compromises groups' religious liberty.

Republican Rep. Joseph Scapa, who supports the bill, said religious organizations should have the right to require that the members share their faith before letting them join.

"Religious Groups should be free to require their members and leaders to share the group's faith. That's the entire point of having the group," said Scapa.

Democratic Rep. Annie Tietze, on the other hand, claims groups not wanting to allow people join them just because they hold contradictory beliefs amounts to discrimination. She claims the bill will give student groups access to public funding which they can use to discriminate and limit membership. She said private groups unsanctioned by the school do not have the right to receive state funding for "discriminatory behavior."

Along this line of argument, the University of Kansas and Wichita State University's respective student government organizations passed resolutions opposing the bill. An amendment to the bill later on added language stipulating that the organizations must not violate federal anti-discrimination law.

Republican Rep. John Whitmer explained that the bill does not aim to discriminate, but to ensure that for example, Christian student organizations are led by dedicated Christians and not by people who do not even believe in the foundational elements that make the group unique.