A House chairman becomes a link between religious liberty, anti-discrimination bills
An intersection of interests is building in the House that could bear watching. Again.
You know about H.B. 218, the religious liberty measure sponsored by state Rep. Sam Teasley, R-Marietta, intended to limit government encroachment on the religious views of individuals.
Teasley has denied it vociferously, but critics have condemned the measure as a back-door attempt to thwart recognition of gay marriage.
Teasley's bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs. Willard is now the No. 2 signature on H.B. 323, a measure to bar discrimination of state employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill was filed Wednesday.
The lead sponsor is Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates, one of three lesbian members of the House. H.B. 323 has been introduced before – to address a very specific case of discrimination among the lawyers who draft legislation in the state Capitol.
That could make for some very interesting questions when Teasley’s bill goes before Williard’s committee – though we have not yet heard of it being placed on a calendar yet.
About the Author
Jim Galloway, the newspaper’s former political columnist, was a writer and editor at the AJC for four decades.
