In an appearance on WFIU’s “Noon Edition” last month, State Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, said he did not think the Republican-controlled General Assembly would want to get involved in an issue in which discrimination could be perceived after last year’s discussions about same-sex marriage. He was talking most specifically about a bill that would allow businesses to cite religious grounds in refusing to provide services to same-sex couples.
Apparently that’s not true. This week, a bill passed the Senate by a large margin, 39-11, that paves the way for organizations to select employees based on religious beliefs and receive state funding while doing so.
Senate Bill 127, authored by Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, is the bill in question. It would allow faith-based organizations that receive state contracts to base hiring decisions on their religion. The bill also says that the organization can require employees to follow specific religious guidelines.
Religious organizations should have the ability to hire as they see fit. That’s not our concern.
The problem with this is the part about state contracts. The state should not enter into contracts with, and thus pay state money to, organizations that can reject an applicant based on religion. State funding should not go to organizations that refuse to hire Catholics, or Jews, or Muslims, or any other religion.
The bill now heads to the House for consideration. May it stop there before it becomes the law of the state.
© 2024 HeraldTimesOnline, Bloomington, IN