LGBTQ Caucus Kills ‘Save Chick-Fil-A’ Bill In Texas

Molly PrinceMay 10, 2019

The newly formed LGBTQ Caucus killed a religious freedom bill in the Texas House of Representatives on Thursday, which was crafted in response to the San Antonio city council banning Chick-fil-A from its International Airport over “anti-LGBTQ behavior.”

The “Save Chick-fil-A” bill (or House Bill 3172), was sponsored by Republican Texas State Rep. Michael Krause, and authored to protect “religious beliefs and moral convictions, including beliefs and convictions regarding marriage.” The legislation would have “prohibited adverse actions by government” based on support or membership of religious organizations.

Democratic state Rep. Julie Johnson, one of the five members on the LGBTQ caucus, used a parliamentary action to delay, then ultimately kill the bill.

“Bills like this are hurtful. They cause pain,” Johnson told CNN. “We can’t allow religion to be a cover for discrimination.”

Krause defended the legislation in April, stating that “it protects Ben & Jerry’s as much as it protects Chick-fil-A.”

“The government should not be penalizing, should not taking adverse action against you for your belief on a marriage,” he further noted during a committee public hearing.

Krause drafted the bill after the San Antonio city council passed a motion on March 21 to approve the Food, Beverage and Retail Prime Concession Agreement with Paradies Lagardère for the airport with the condition that Chick-fil-A be excluded from the agreement.

The prohibition came after a report noted that in 2017, Chick-fil-A donated nearly $2 million to the Salvation Army, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Paul Anderson Youth Home. The report asserted that the three charities were discriminatory against LGBTQ individuals. Days later, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he will be launching a probe into San Antonio city councilmen to investigate whether the city’s action violates state law. He also penned a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao urging for a federal investigation to be opened.

Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy, who represents the portion of San Antonio where the airport is located, slammed the city council’s decision and further defended Chick-fil-A.

“Targeting individuals, organizations, or corporations for carrying out their deeply-held religious beliefs in accord with our laws and consistent with many Americans’ similarly held religious beliefs is hardly making San Antonio a ‘champion of equality and inclusion,’” Roy said at the time. “I hope this matter can be resolved, as it would be unfortunate if the council’s decision negatively impacted our ability to effectively advocate for San Antonio in Congress due to such rampant discriminatory action against a well-regarded business with such a significant presence in our communities in central Texas and across the nation.”

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