Florida Senate - 2016                                     SB 110
       
       
        
       By Senator Bean
       
       
       
       
       
       4-00072-16                                             2016110__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to churches or religious
    3         organizations; creating s. 761.061, F.S.; providing
    4         that churches or religious organizations, related
    5         organizations, or certain individuals may not be
    6         required to solemnize any marriage or provide
    7         services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or
    8         privileges for related purposes if such action would
    9         violate a sincerely held religious belief; prohibiting
   10         certain legal actions, penalties, or governmental
   11         sanctions against such individuals or entities;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 761.061, Florida Statutes, is created to
   17  read:
   18         761.061 Rights of certain churches or religious
   19  organizations or individuals.—
   20         (1) A church or religious organization, an organization
   21  supervised or controlled by or in connection with a church or
   22  religious organization, an individual employed by a church or
   23  religious organization while acting in the scope of that
   24  employment, or a clergy member or minister may not be required
   25  to solemnize any marriage or provide services, accommodations,
   26  facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the
   27  solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage if such
   28  an action would cause the church, organization, or individual to
   29  violate a sincerely held religious belief of the entity or
   30  individual.
   31         (2) A refusal to solemnize any marriage or provide
   32  services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges under
   33  subsection (1) may not serve as the basis for a civil or
   34  criminal cause of action or any other action by this state or a
   35  political subdivision of this state to penalize or withhold
   36  benefits or privileges, including tax exemptions or governmental
   37  contracts, grants, or licenses, from any entity or individual
   38  protected under subsection (1).
   39         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.