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Hello from the State Capitol,
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Efforts continued this week to re-establish a religious freedom in our state, but the House majority continued to oppose its progress.
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On March 25, religious leaders throughout Minnesota joined other lawmakers and me at a press conference in calling for religious freedom to be restored in the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), protecting religious organizations and faith-based schools against claims of gender identity discrimination.
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Later that afternoon, House Democrats tabled a motion to bring forward legislation to make that happen, the third time this session the majority party blocked attempts at restoring religious freedom language to the MHRA.
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Following the vote, House Democrat Judiciary Finance Chair Jamie-Becker Finn belittled the Republican attempt at re-establishing this religious freedom, telling the Minneapolis Star Tribune, ?they're doing this because it gets them a lot of clicks and they get to give some fun speeches on the floor."?
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It?s insulting that Democrats think our work to assist religious organizations is nothing more than political theater. It says a lot about their priorities, and how little they value your Constitutional rights.
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At least one faith-based school already is facing an employment complaint at the department of human rights because of the removal of the exemption.
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Before last year, when gender identity was included (or subsumed) within the MHRA definition of sexual orientation, the still-existing religious exemption for sexual orientation covered gender identity claims as well. When a new, separate definition of gender identity was created last year, there was no corresponding religious exemption added.
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The proposal I?m supporting would once again ensure religious organizations and faith-based schools can, among other things, hire teachers and ministers consistent with their mission and values.
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It remains unclear when ? or if ? the House majority will revisit that bill.
 Happy Easter to you and your family!
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Steve
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