South Carolina Catastrophe | Americans United

Not one legitimate issue is being discussed. No education, no dealing with the poor, no improving of the infrastructure.

Issues up for discussion:

Education

• Senate Bill 24 would create tax incentives that allow parents to deduct the amount spent on private school tuition from their state income taxes.
• Senate Bill 72 would allow students to be released from public school classrooms to receive religious instruction at a private school while still receiving public school class credit.

Marriage Equality

• Senate Bill 116 would allow a government clerk to deny a same-sex couple a marriage license if the clerk objects to it for religious reasons
• House Bill 3022 would prohibit any taxpayer or public funds to go towards activities related to the licensing and support of same-sex marriage, as well as prohibiting government employees from recognizing, granting, or supporting these unions.
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 31, would call for a constitutional convention to amend the U.S. Constitution to establish that marriage is only the union of a man and a woman.
• House Bill 3150 extends past government officials. It would prohibit the government from penalizing any individual or entity that refuses to provide goods and services in connection with a same-sex marriage.
• House Joint Resolution 3135 would amend the South Carolina Constitution by removing the article that states that the only domestic union recognized is between one man and one woman.

Legislative Prayer

• Senate Bill 233 is likely a reaction to the Supreme Court case Greece v. Galloway. The bill reaffirms the ability of state and local government bodies to start a meeting with a prayer or invocation given by religious leaders, chaplains, or a public official.
• Senate Bill 127 would amend South Carolina’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to prohibit restrictions on the free exercise of speech or religion during any locality, municipality, county, or other state instrumentality proceeding.

Anti-Sharia Law Ban

• Senate Bill 101 would prevent South Carolina courts from enforcing foreign law.

Student Groups Discrimination

• Senate Bill 210 would exempt religious student organizations at public universities from anti-discrimination policies. It would require that the public institution recognize and fund religious student groups even if they discriminate against fellow students based on religious belief when determining membership and leadership.

South Carolina Catastrophe | Americans United