Missouri Marriage Solemnization Refusal Bill (HB 205)

HB 205 would permit any person authorized to solemnize marriages under Missouri law to refuse to solemnize a marriage if the solemnization of the marriage is contrary to the religious beliefs or sincerely held moral convictions of the person authorized to solemnize marriages.

Current Missouri law allows clergymen, religious organizations and judges, including municipal judges, to perform marriage solemnizations.

The First Amendment already covers the right of religious organizations to refuse to perform marriages that conflict with their religious beliefs. This bill takes it a step further and would allow civil servants to refuse to provide marriage services to same-sex couples, or any other couple they believe shouldn’t be married.

Related Legislation

Identical to HB 1337, which failed to pass in 2016.

STATUS

Prefiled on December 12, 2016.

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