Bill Text: TX HB2876 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the rights of wedding industry professionals and their employees in connection with the provision of goods, services, and facilities that would violate a sincerely held religious belief.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 19-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-29 - Referred to State Affairs [HB2876 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB2876-Introduced.html
| 85R5710 EES-D | ||
| By: Sanford | H.B. No. 2876 | |
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| relating to the rights of wedding industry professionals and their | ||
| employees in connection with the provision of goods, services, and | ||
| facilities that would violate a sincerely held religious belief. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the Professional Right | ||
| of Conscience for Wedding Ceremonies Act. | ||
| SECTION 2. Title 99, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Chapter 2005 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 2005. FREEDOM OF RELIGION FOR WEDDING INDUSTRY | ||
| PROFESSIONALS | ||
| Sec. 2005.001. RIGHTS OF CERTAIN WEDDING INDUSTRY | ||
| PROFESSIONALS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Person" means an individual or a private legal | ||
| entity, including a corporation, association, or partnership. | ||
| (2) "Wedding industry professional" means a person who | ||
| offers for sale or rent or sells or rents goods, services, | ||
| accommodations, or facilities for a purpose related to the | ||
| solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage. The term | ||
| includes a wedding planner, baker, caterer, photographer, | ||
| videographer, disc jockey, decorator, and wedding venue owner or | ||
| operator. | ||
| (b) A wedding industry professional or an individual | ||
| employed by a wedding industry professional while acting in the | ||
| scope of that employment may not be required to sell, rent, or | ||
| otherwise provide goods, services, accommodations, or facilities | ||
| for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, or | ||
| celebration of any marriage if the action would cause the wedding | ||
| industry professional or employee to violate a sincerely held | ||
| religious belief. | ||
| Sec. 2005.002. DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED. A refusal to | ||
| provide goods, services, accommodations, or facilities under | ||
| Section 2005.001 is not the basis for a civil or criminal cause of | ||
| action or any other action by this state or a political subdivision | ||
| of this state to penalize or withhold benefits or privileges, | ||
| including any tax exemptions or governmental contracts, grants, or | ||
| licenses, from any protected wedding industry professional or | ||
| employee. | ||
| Sec. 2005.003. PROTECTION UNDER OTHER LAW. To the extent | ||
| that a wedding industry professional or employee is entitled to | ||
| protection under this chapter and Subchapter G, Chapter 2, Family | ||
| Code, the prevailing provision is the provision that provides the | ||
| greater protection for the wedding industry professional or | ||
| employee. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
