The Tennessee House of Representatives has officially approved legislation that shields clergy members and businesses from penalties if they decline to officiate same-sex weddings.
The measure, House Bill 1473, introduced by Republican Representative Gino Bulso of Brentwood, aims to safeguard individuals and organizations from being forced into actions that conflict with their deeply rooted faith convictions, as Bulso explained to The Center Square after filing the proposal.
Back in 2006, Tennessee voters enshrined a constitutional definition of marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Bulso argues that the landmark 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which mandated nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage, overstepped federal boundaries.
“Those justices lacked the legislative authority to impose this change; instead, they twisted the 14th Amendment to push an agenda that couldn’t pass through proper channels,” Bulso stated.
The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868 post-Civil War, stipulates: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Unsurprisingly, Democrats voiced strong opposition to the bill. “Claiming exemption from the 14th Amendment undermines its core principles of equality and justice,” remarked House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons.
Representiative Sam McKenzie, a Democrat from Knoxville, suggested Bulso’s strategy is a calculated effort to escalate the issue to the Supreme Court, and that is precisely what conservatives want! Just as Roe v. Wade was struck down due to a legislative challenge, so too must Obergefell v. Hodges and for the exact same reasons.
The legislation cleared the House with a 68-24 vote and was spilt strictly by party affiliation.
A companion bill in the Senate which is backed by Republican Senator Joey Hensley of Hohenwald, remains pending.
Bulso is also championing another initiative to permit prayer and Bible studies in public and charter schools, invoking the 14th Amendment in its defense.
Dubbed the Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act, House Bill 1491 asserts: “The Establishment Clause applies only to federal laws passed by Congress, and the 14th Amendment doesn’t compel states to follow those same constraints.” It emphasizes the legislature’s role in upholding religious freedoms and addressing violations. The bill is currently before the House Judiciary Committee and is co-sponsored by Hensley.
In light of these God honoring advancements, the body of Christ needs to raise its voice in support of policies like these, standing firm on biblical principles of marriage and faith in an increasingly secular society because in doing so, we not only preserves religious liberty, but also serve as a witness to timeless truths amid cultural shifts.
