MONTREAL — The Quebec government moved forward Thursday with a proposed law that would ban public employees from wearing overt religious symbols.

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois said the law aims to preserve the province’s fundamental values, including the equality of men and women and the separation of church and state. Her separatist Parti Quebecois on Thursday introduced its Charter of Values in the province’s legislature.

The law would forbid government employees from wearing Muslim headscarves, Jewish kippas, Sikh turbans and larger-than-average crucifixes. It would also prohibit citizens from covering their faces while receiving public services, such as applying for driver’s licenses.