State Rep. Josh Harms, R-Watseka, on Jan. 22 introduced new legislation meant to broaden exemptions for religious organizations once SB10, the Illinois marriage equality bill, takes effect June 1.
The legislation, HB4263, "provides that no religious organization, including a school, is required to provide religious facilities for a marriage solemnization ceremony or celebration associated with the solemnization if the solemnization ceremony or celebration associated with the solemnization ceremony is in violation of its religious beliefs."
The bill furthermore establishes that the term "religious facilities" applies to "places of worship and school buildings but does not include nonsectarian educational facilities."
Though SB10 states that religious organizations cannot be legally compelled to perform same-sex marriages, opponents to the bill maintained that the bill would open the doors to widespread litigation if church-owned facilities did not allow them to take place there.
"I am disappointed that the state of Illinois has now redefined marriage by allowing gay couples to marry," Harms told the Paxton Record on Nov. 7. "I still firmly believe that marriage is a religious institution between one man and one woman. Senate Bill 10 does not protect any private citizen with religious objections and businesses will be forced to host, cater, or otherwise serve gay weddings, even if their religion forbids it."
Harms referred HB4263 to the House Rules Committee.
This is the second bill this session that attempts to undermine or alter SB10. On Jan. 21, state Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, introduced legislation that would cancel SB10 and again define marriage in Illinois as being between a man and a woman.