We did it! Together, we stopped the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
As the lame duck session of 2014 came to a close last night, members of the Senate did not take a vote on this dangerous legislation, which would have allowed individuals to use their religious beliefs as a justification to discriminate or cause harm to others. That means the legislation will not advance in the 2014 legislative session.
This victory is yours. When we sounded the alarm to our supporters that some lawmakers were trying to strong arm this bill through, tens of thousands of Michiganders answered the call, sending more than 20,000 emails and calls urging our elected leaders to defeat RFRA. And together, we made our voices heard.
We can rest easy tonight, knowing that for now, we have successfully defeated RFRA, a bill that would have opened the door for individuals to ignore laws, including non-discrimination and domestic violence laws, under the guise of religious freedom.
But we can’t stop here. Next year and beyond, we must employ the same vigilance and grassroots power to defend against any attacks on freedom and liberty in Michigan.
With your help, we sent a message to the state legislature that discrimination isn’t a Michigan value. Now join us in sharing the good news with your family and friends. Click here to share this victory on Facebook now.
Thank you for being a part of this historic fight. Now let’s continue to push for a more welcoming and accepting state for all.
By Rana Elmir, Deputy Director