Based on our reading of all bills filed this year, there is no Turn the Gays Away/RFRA/religion carve out/religious exemption bill related to businesses this year.  We caution that at some point a bill could be amended to include such provisions, but our assessment is that no direct bill in that category has been filed.

Many of you remember that the battle over the bill was intense last year.  Huffington Post details the fight from February last year.  Indeed, many states have waged renewed battles over these bills this year, as The Washington Blade details at this link.

We are tracking many other bills this year.  We believe that the Counseling Discrimination bill is the worst of them. 

We need your help to defeat it.  RSVP for TEP's 11th annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill at this link.  And consider signing up for a monthly contribution to TEP to support our lobbying efforts at this link.

Soon we will brief you on the positive bills that our community should try to advance this session.  But for now we are celebrating a reprieve from the Turn the Gays Away bill.