Arizona passes bill protecting freedom of business owners who refuse services to same-sex ‘weddings’
PHOENIX, AZ , February 25, 2014 – In a move that has sparked antagonism from both Republicans and Democrats, the Arizona state legislature passed a bill Thursday that would grant business owners the right to refuse service to clients on the basis of religious objections. SB 1062 would provide business owners the grounds to deny their services to same-sex “marriages.” The bill, which now awaits the signature of Gov. Jan Brewer , has been lambasted as discriminatory by its opponents, but its defenders say it’s a necessary protection for religious freedom. In the past few years, there have been several cases of business owners facing lawsuits after refusing to provide their services to gay couples at their “weddings.” This bill would prevent such suits from being filed in Arizona and would protect objecting business owners from facing heavy fines. This bill has a lion’s share of opponents. Both of Arizona’s federal senators, each Republican, have urged Gov. Brewer