Republicans push divisive 'religious liberty' bill through Georgia Legislature

Greg Bluestein and Michelle Baruchman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Apr 2, 2025

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ATLANTA — After a decade of fierce debate, Georgia approved one of the most divisive bills in recent state history by passing a “religious liberty” measure that supporters say protects faith-based beliefs from government overreach and critics decry as a license to discriminate.

Republicans muscled the initiative through the Georgia House Wednesday on a mostly party line 96-70 vote, sending it to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk.

Two Republicans, State Rep. Deborah Silcox of Atlanta and Steven Sainz of St. Marys, voted against the measure, while state Democratic state Rep. Lynn Heffner of Augusta voted in support.

Moments after the bill passed, Kemp posted on X, “I have always maintained that I would support and sign a version of RFRA which mirrors the language and protections provided by federal law since 1993. My commitment to that promise and to the deeply held beliefs of Georgians of faith remains unwavering.”

The proposal once drew massive protests from opponents, frequent national headlines and threats of boycotts from corporate giants. Gov. Nathan Deal’s veto of a version of the bill in 2016 was one of the defining moments of his eight years in office.

But now it’s been eclipsed by new legislative fights ignited by Donald Trump’s rise to power, with lawmakers now regularly tangling over transgender restrictions, immigration crackdowns and other measures that echo the president’s MAGA policies.

Still, social conservatives never relinquished their push for the legislation, which is modeled after the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, a federal law that limits the government’s ability to enforce laws that conflict with religious beliefs.

State Sen. Ed Setzler, the bill’s sponsor, said he’s worked with the governor’s aides to piece together the bill.

“This is not a license for private citizens to discriminate against private citizens,” said state Rep. Tyler Paul Smith, a Republican from Bremen, who carried the legislation in the House. “This prohibits government from burdening religious exercise in our state.”

But it still remains toxic to business boosters and other opponents. They say it’s not needed because constitutional safeguards already preserve religious freedom — and warn it could sanction discrimination against LGBTQ+ Georgians.

“This bill isn’t about protecting religious minorities. It’s about creating a pathway for discrimination under the guise of religious liberty,” said state Rep. Esther Panitch, a Democrat from Sandy Springs and the only Jewish legislator in the General Assembly.

Democrats often point out that even the most outspoken supporters of the bill can’t cite a specific example where the measure was needed to reverse a restriction imposed on religious beliefs.

The bill’s sponsors have embraced that argument, saying there’s no guarantee that future leaders will uphold their rights. As Mike Griffin of the Georgia Baptist Mission put it at a recent hearing, lawmakers need to “put up a sprinkler system before you have a fire.”

They’re also buoyed by changing political dynamics. Though the Metro Atlanta Chamber and its allies still warn the proposal would “undermine the state’s strong reputation,” the days of totemic campaigns by corporate behemoths are over.

And Democrats, though still vehemently opposed to the bill, are struggling to respond to a range of other polarizing fights against proposals that have drawn sharper public outrage.

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