PIERRE, S.D. (AP) β The state House has approved a bill that would bar the government from taking actions such as revoking the tax exempt status of an organization because of religious beliefs about marriage, sex outside of marriage or transgender rights.
The Argus Leader (http://argusne.ws/1Lcplfy ) reports that the House voted 46-10 on Monday to approve the measure. It now heads to the Senate.
Republican Rep. Scott Craig is the main House sponsor of the plan. He says it's about protecting the freedom of speech of people who have conservative views.
Craig says the Founding Fathers "never intended erotic freedom to trump religious freedom."
Opponents argue the bill would allow for discrimination against certain minority groups. Democratic Rep. Peggy Gibson says that the bill would cause potentially costly legal issues for the state.
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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
