HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Legislature turned away a proposed referendum Friday that if enacted by voters would have given people grounds to disobey any state laws that violate their religion.
After a heated floor debate that moved the bill sponsor to raise his camouflaged Bible, state representatives failed to pass House Bill 615 on a 50-50 vote. The bill resembles a recent Indiana law that allows open discrimination for the sake of “religious freedom.”
Opponents said the bill language was so vague that it would have allowed any business, church or individual to openly discriminate and violate laws.
Supporters said the measure would have brought to the state level a 1993 federal law aimed at preventing legislation that substantially burdens a person’s right to exercise religion.
When he presented the proposal Wednesday, Republican Rep. Carl Glimm of Kila said he intended for the bill to prioritize people’s “sincerely held religious belief” above job descriptions.
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Crow tribal member Democratic Rep. Carolyn Pease-Lopez countered that there are nine hate groups in Montana and the bill would stop just short of allowing them to kill her.
“American Indians are the walking dead because of how they’re treated by people who discriminate,” Pease-Lopez said. “And now we’re going to license it. We’re going to elevate it.”
