Thomas More Society Cites Grave Bipartisan Concerns

Contact: Tom Ciesielka, TC Public Relations, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., May 30, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yesterday, Thomas More Society attorneys issued a letter to members of the Illinois House of Representatives warning that Illinois' pending same-sex marriage bill (SB 10) provides a disaster for religious liberty, no matter which side of the same-sex marriage debate that one supports.

The letter states: "Law professors on both sides of the marriage issue agree that Senate Bill 10 provides the worst religious liberty protections of any same-sex marriage bill in the country."

The letter highlights that other states which have legalized same-sex marriage, such as Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington, have recognized the importance of protecting religious liberty and have added specific language in their respective same-sex marriage bills to protect "services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges...related to the solemnization of a marriage."

The letter warns that, should the current same-sex marriage bill be voted into law, Illinois' religious hospitals, religious schools, organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, and businesses owned by people of faith would face an onslaught of court battles: "SB 10 will force religious people and organizations into years of legal fights, likely against the Illinois government, to defend their rights to practice their faith."

"SB 10 would make Illinois the most hostile state in the country to the religious freedoms of people of faith," said Peter Breen, vice president and senior counsel of the Thomas More Society, a national public interest law firm. "SB 10 would generate years of litigation and cause those who faithfully practice their religion to be mislabeled as 'discriminators,' stripped of government benefits, and subjected to fines and penalties simply because they abide by their sincerely held beliefs. Legal scholars have urged on a bipartisan basis that SB 10 in its current form be rejected. Illinois legislators should heed this bipartisan call."

The letter cites numerous examples of businesses and organizations that are being sued around the country for actions taken in compliance with their religious beliefs. The letter concludes by stating that, "Instead of being a 'Religious Freedom' bill, SB 10 will devastate the liberties of individuals, businesses, religious organizations, and religious charities all across our State of Illinois."

Read the letter here.

About the Thomas More Society
The Thomas More Society is a national not-for-profit public interest law firm whose mission is to restore respect in law for life, marriage, and religious liberty. Headquartered in Chicago, the Society fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro-bono professional legal services from federal, state, and local trial courts all the way up to the United States Supreme Court. www.thomasmoresociety.org