Group Wants Tax Exempt Protection After Marriage Ruling
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) - A Christian group is urging Governor Rick Scott and Republican legislative leaders to pass a measure that it says would help protect the tax-exempt status of churches that refuse to perform same-sex marriages.
The Christian Family Coalition has started a petition to build support for what it calls the "Clergy and Religious Institutions Tax-Exempt Protection Act." The effort stems from a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that said same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry.
Two Florida Republican lawmakers also have said they plan to introduce what has been dubbed the "Pastor Protection Act," which would seek to safeguard clergy members from being forced to perform marriage ceremonies contrary to their principles.
Supporters of the Supreme Court decision say religious leaders already are protected by the First Amendment and can refuse to perform marriages.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.