Anti-gay bigot and Virginia Republican delegate Bob Marshall has introduced new legislation that would allow for widespread discrimination against LGBT people in the state
Anti-gay bigot and Virginia Republican delegate Bob Marshall has introduced new legislation that would allow for widespread discrimination against LGBT people in the state, reports LGBTQ Nation.
Marshall is no stranger to anti-gay policy making – in 2006, he co-authored Virginia's constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
The new bill HB 1414 states that “a person shall not be required to perform, assist, consent to, or participate in any action or refrain from performing, assisting, consenting to, or participating in any action as a condition of obtaining or renewing a government-issued license, registration, or certificate where such condition would violate the religious or moral convictions of such person with respect to same-sex marriage or homosexual behavior.”
Greg Nevins of Lambda Legal, who fought the state's ban on same-sex marriage last year, said a bill as broad in scope as HB 1414 would allow a doctor to refuse to prescribe HIV medication to a gay man, or a therapist to refuse counseling to an individual in a same-sex relationship.
He added that it “threatens the mental and physical health of Virginia residents…is unconstitutional…unethical, abusive and dangerous.”
Although the bill could pass both the Republican-majority House and Senate, openly gay delegate Mark Sickles said he believes Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe would veto the measure.
Last year, Marshall called for the impeachment of Attorney General Mark Herring over his refusal to defend the state's ban on same-sex marriage in court.
