By Shirin Faqiri | CNNTennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee signed a bill Wednesday that allows people in the state to refuse to “solemnize,” or perform, a marriage if they disagree with it. Last week, Tennessee state lawmakers passed HB 878, which states “a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage.”In Tennessee, only certain people can “solemnize” the “rite of matrimony,” including state notary publics, government officials, and religious figures, according to state code. “The government has a responsibility to protect the exercise of religious beliefs. … Those with the authority to perform civil ceremonies would also be permitted to refuse to solemnize marriage for reasons of conscience.”CNN reached out to Fritts for comment, but he declined a phone interview. “Government officials can’t target people based on who they are and require them to use a different process to obtain marriage licenses relative to everyone else.

Source: CNN February 22, 2024 01:26 UTC