Senate
File
2052
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
2052
BY
McKINLEY
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
providing
for
exemptions
related
to
the
solemnization
1
or
validity
of
a
marriage
based
on
sincerely
held
religious
2
beliefs.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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2052
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
595.21
Exemptions
related
to
1
solemnization
or
recognition
of
the
validity
of
a
marriage.
2
1.
An
individual,
religious
or
denominational
organization,
3
or
a
charitable
or
educational
organization
operated,
4
supervised,
or
controlled
by
or
connected
with
a
religious
or
5
denominational
organization,
shall
not
be
liable,
penalized,
or
6
denied
benefits
under
the
laws
of
this
state
or
any
political
7
subdivision
of
this
state,
including
but
not
limited
to
8
laws
regarding
employment
discrimination,
housing,
public
9
accommodations,
licensing,
government
contracts
or
grants,
or
10
tax-exempt
status,
for
refusing
to
solemnize
any
marriage,
11
for
refusing
to
provide
services,
accommodations,
advantages,
12
facilities,
goods,
or
privileges
related
to
the
solemnization
13
of
any
marriage,
or
for
refusing
to
treat
as
valid
any
14
marriage,
if
such
providing,
solemnizing,
or
treating
as
valid
15
would
cause
such
individual
or
organization
to
violate
the
16
sincerely
held
religious
beliefs
of
the
individual
or
to
which
17
the
organization
subscribes.
18
2.
The
exemptions
provided
pursuant
to
subsection
1
shall
19
not
apply
if
either
of
the
following
conditions
exists:
20
a.
A
government
employee
shall
not
refuse
to
assist
in
the
21
solemnization
of
any
marriage
under
this
section
if
another
22
government
employee
is
not
available
and
willing
to
so
assist.
23
b.
A
refusal
to
provide
services,
accommodations,
24
advantages,
facilities,
goods,
or
privileges
related
to
the
25
solemnization
of
any
marriage
shall
not
be
protected
under
26
this
section
if
a
party
to
the
marriage
is
unable
to
obtain
27
any
similar
services,
accommodations,
advantages,
facilities,
28
goods,
or
privileges
elsewhere,
and
such
inability
to
obtain
29
such
similar
services,
accommodations,
advantages,
facilities,
30
goods,
or
privileges
elsewhere
constitutes
a
substantial
31
hardship.
32
EXPLANATION
33
This
bill
provides
exemptions
to
certain
individuals
and
34
organizations
related
to
solemnization
and
recognition
of
the
35
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2052
validity
of
marriages.
1
The
bill
provides
that
an
individual,
religious
or
2
denominational
organization,
or
a
charitable
or
educational
3
organization
operated,
supervised,
or
controlled
by
or
4
connected
with
a
religious
or
denominational
organization,
5
shall
not
be
liable,
penalized,
or
denied
benefits
under
6
the
laws
of
this
state
or
any
political
subdivision
of
this
7
state,
including
but
not
limited
to
laws
regarding
employment
8
discrimination,
housing,
public
accommodations,
licensing,
9
government
contracts
or
grants,
or
tax-exempt
status,
for
10
refusing
to
solemnize
any
marriage,
for
refusing
to
provide
11
services,
accommodations,
advantages,
facilities,
goods,
or
12
privileges
related
to
the
solemnization
of
any
marriage,
or
for
13
refusing
to
treat
as
valid
any
marriage,
if
such
providing,
14
solemnizing,
or
treating
as
valid
would
cause
such
individual
15
or
organization
to
violate
the
sincerely
held
religious
beliefs
16
of
the
individual
or
to
which
the
organization
subscribes.
17
However,
the
exemptions
do
not
apply;
or
in
the
case
in
which
18
a
government
employee
refuses
to
assist
in
the
solemnization
19
of
a
marriage,
if
another
government
employee
is
not
available
20
and
willing
to
so
assist
if
the
refusal
to
provide
services,
21
accommodations,
advantages,
facilities,
goods,
or
privileges
22
related
to
the
solemnization
of
any
marriage
results
in
a
party
23
to
the
marriage
being
unable
to
obtain
any
similar
services,
24
accommodations,
advantages,
facilities,
goods,
or
privileges
25
elsewhere,
and
this
constitutes
a
substantial
hardship.
26
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