Louisiana's Pastor Protection Bill gets 80-18 vote in House of Representatives

The Louisiana House of Representatives passed a bill that would protect religious leaders should they refuse to conduct a wedding that violates their religious beliefs.

Same-sex couple plastic figurines are displayed during a gay wedding fair in Paris April 27, 2013. | REUTERS / Gonzalo Fuentes

House Bill 597, titled The Pastor Protection Act, states that members of the clergy of a legally recognized church, faith, or religious organization or their employees who are acting within the scope of their employment "may not be required by the state to solemnize a marriage, nor provide access to facilities, services, accommodations, goods, or privileges of the church, faith, or religious organization for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, or celebration of the marriage, if the actions would be contrary to church doctrine, practice or in violation of the religious beliefs and principles of the clergy, church, or religious organization."

Simply put, churches and religious organization can refuse to conduct same-sex marriages if it goes against their religious beliefs, without fear of reprisal. They cannot be penalized by the government, such as witholding benefits, for not agreeing to officiate theh marriage. And, according to a Q&A page about the bill on Louisiana for Liberty, since there are many others who would be willing to conduct such services, then it would not be right to force a pastor or priest to conduct it if it goes against his conscience.

The page says, "Most Americans recognize that the right of conscience is the most fundamental freedom that a person has, and none of us want a government that imposes penalties for a person's religious opinions."

However, according to Christian Today, there is already an existing religious freedom law in the state as well as the U.S. constitution that protects the clergy from being made to officiate same-sex marriages. Thus, the bill is viewed by critics as something unnecessary that only indulges conservative pressure groups.

The bill, spoonsored by representative Mike Johnson, received an 80-18 vote in the house. The senate has received and has done a first reading, and is scheduled for a second one. According to The Times-Picayune, Governor John Bel Edwards has indicated that he would not veto the bill.

"I don't see anything in the pastor protection bill that causes me concern, except that it's unnecessary," Edwards said. "I don't believe we have pastors today who are under threat of anything adverse happening to them if they don't officiate a gay wedding."