MS legislative records: on Civil Rights


David Baria: Businesses shouldn't deny services to same-sex couples

Q: Support gay marriage?

David Baria (D): Yes. Opposed 2016 bill to expand right of government employees & private businesses to refuse services to same-sex couples.

Roger Wicker (R): No. "I will continue to work to protect First Amendment rights of those who. oppose same-sex marriage."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org: Mississippi legislative voting records Oct 9, 2018

Phil Bryant: Backs bill for marriage between one man and one woman

House Bill 1523 singles out 3 religious beliefs as worthy of protection: that marriage is between one man and one woman; that people should not have sex outside such marriages; and that a person's gender is set at birth. The law protects anyone who speaks out against gay marriage or transgenders because of these beliefs. Gov. Bryant and Lt. Gov. Reeves, two of the bill's most prominent advocates, said the state should stand by its law and appeal the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Source: Mississippi Today on Mississippi voting record: HB 1523 Jun 30, 2016

Phil Bryant: 2016: Let businesses refuse to serve LGBT people

[2019 Gubernatorial candidate Robert] Foster, who is Baptist, touts his status as a "strong Christian and balanced conservative voice," and his record of supporting anti-LGBT legislation is sure to endear him to evangelicals. In 2016, Foster wrote in support of House Bill 1523, the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act," which guarantees businesses the right to discriminate against and refuse to serve LGBT people on the basis of personal religious beliefs about same-sex marriage and gender identity.

Foster defended his support for the bill at the time, writing in April 2016 that "dealing with discrimination is part of the price you pay to live in a free society." Later that month, Gov. Phil Bryant signed it into law.

Source: Jackson Free Press on Mississippi voting record: HB1523 Dec 10, 2018

Robert Foster: Let businesses refuse to serve LGBT people

Foster, who is Baptist, touts his status as a "strong Christian and balanced conservative voice," and his record of supporting anti-LGBT legislation is sure to endear him to evangelicals. In 2016, Foster wrote in support of House Bill 1523, the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act," which guarantees businesses the right to discriminate against and refuse to serve LGBT people on the basis of personal religious beliefs about same-sex marriage and gender identity.

Foster defended his support for the bill at the time, writing in April 2016 that "dealing with discrimination is part of the price you pay to live in a free society." Later that month, Gov. Phil Bryant signed it into law.

Source: Jackson Free Press on Mississippi voting record: HB1523 Dec 10, 2018

Tate Reeves: Backs bill for marriage between one man and one woman

House Bill 1523 singles out 3 religious beliefs as worthy of protection: that marriage is between one man and one woman; that people should not have sex outside such marriages; and that a person's gender is set at birth. The law protects anyone who speaks out against gay marriage or transgenders because of these beliefs. Gov. Bryant and Lt. Gov. Reeves, two of the bill's most prominent advocates, said the state should stand by its law and appeal the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Source: Mississippi Today on Mississippi voting record: HB 1523 Jun 30, 2016

Dan Eubanks: Let business use religious belief to not serve LGBT people

Analysis of HB 1523 by the Mississippi Clarion Ledger:  A reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide, the Mississippi bill seeks to protect by law the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and prevents government intervention when churches or businesses act "based upon or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." The advocacy director for the Mississippi Center for Justice said HB 1523 "violates a fundamental American value and strikes at the very heart of our work towards a fairer and more just state. This law is discriminatory."

Legislative Outcome:  Passed Senate 32-17-1 on Mar/30/17; Passed House 69-44-8 on Apr/1/17; State Rep. Dan Eubanks voted YES; Signed by Governor Phil Bryant on Apr/19/17.

Source: Mississippi Clarion Ledger on voting record HB 1523 Apr 1, 2017

Chris McDaniel: Let business use religious belief to not serve LGBT people

Analysis of HB 1523 by the Mississippi Clarion Ledger: A reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide, the Mississippi bill seeks to protect by law the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and prevents government intervention when churches or businesses act "based upon or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." The advocacy director for the Mississippi Center for Justice said HB 1523 "violates a fundamental American value and strikes at the very heart of our work towards a fairer and more just state. This law is discriminatory."

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 32-17-1 on Mar/30/17; State Sen. Chris McDaniel voted YES; Passed House 69-44-8 on Apr/1/17; Signed by Governor Phil Bryant on Apr/19/17.

Source: Clarion-Ledger on Mississippi voting record HB 1523 Mar 30, 2017

Phil Bryant: Let business use religious belief to not serve LGBT people

Analysis of HB 1523 by the Mississippi Clarion Ledger: A reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide, the Mississippi bill seeks to protect by law the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and prevents government intervention when churches or businesses act "based upon or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." The advocacy director for the Mississippi Center for Justice said HB 1523 "violates a fundamental American value and strikes at the very heart of our work towards a fairer and more just state. This law is discriminatory."

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 32-17-1 on Mar/30/17; Passed House 69-44-8 on Apr/1/17; Signed by Governor Phil Bryant on Apr/19/17.

Source: Clarion-Ledger on Mississippi voting record HB 1523 Apr 19, 2017

Robert Foster: Let business use religious belief to not serve LGBT people

Analysis of HB 1523 by the Mississippi Clarion Ledger: A reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide, the Mississippi bill seeks to protect by law the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and prevents government intervention when churches or businesses act "based upon or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction." The advocacy director for the Mississippi Center for Justice said HB 1523 "violates a fundamental American value and strikes at the very heart of our work towards a fairer and more just state. This law is discriminatory."

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 32-17-1 on Mar/30/17; Passed House 69-44-8 on Apr/1/17; State Rep. Robert Foster voted YES; Signed by Governor Phil Bryant on Apr/19/17.

Source: Clarion-Ledger on Mississippi voting record HB 1523 Apr 1, 2017

  • The above quotations are from Legislative voting records for Mississippi House and Senate.
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Candidates and political leaders on Civil Rights:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Sep 16, 2024