On Thursday the House Judiciary Committee passed a good bill enhancing protections for religious freedom in Arkansas.
H.B. 1615, the Conscience Protection Act by Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R — Elm Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch), makes important clarifications to the state Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
In 2015 Gov. Hutchinson signed Arkansas’ Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law. H.B. 1615 builds upon that good state law to clarify its language wording and help prevent the government from burdening the free exercise of religion.
H.B. 1615 also helps prohibit religious discrimination against individuals, business owners, and organizations that want to follow their deeply held religious convictions.
Christian-owned wedding venues, bakeries, photography studios, and florist shops have come under fire in state and federal court in recent years. That is why it is so important for our laws to protect religious liberty.
If enacted, H.B. 1615 would provide Arkansans with some of the best religious freedom protections in the nation.
The bill now goes to the Arkansas House of Representatives for a vote.
