NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A bill that would allow mental health counselors to turn patients away based on the counselors’ religious beliefs and personal principles has passed in the House in Tennessee, the latest state to introduce measures that opponents say legalize discrimination against gays, bisexuals and transgender people.
The Senate, which already passed the measure, still would have to approve an amendment adopted by the House. The bill passed 68-22 Wednesday following a rancorous debate on the House floor. If it is signed into law, Tennessee would be the only state to allow counselors to refuse to treat patients based on the counselors’ own belief systems, said Art Terrazas, director of government affairs for the American Counseling Association. The organization has called the bill an “unprecedented attack” on the counseling profession and government overreach.
Opponents of the measure say it would allow therapists to discriminate against gays and other people who are at their most vulnerable and need therapy. Proponents say it takes into account the rights of everyone, including the therapists.
“We are standing up for everyone’s right when we vote for this bill,” Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, told members before the vote.
Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, tried unsuccessfully to attach several amendments to the bill, including one that would force therapists to treat children who are victims of bullying. He said that Tennessee would be an outlier if it passes the legislation.
“It’s intriguing to me that this body is wanting to stand in the way of people seeking help in the state of Tennessee,” Clemmons said during the debate.
The bill would not allow counselors to turn away people who are in imminent danger of harming themselves or others.
The measure is part of a wave of bills across the country proposed by conservative Christian lawmakers who are upset about the Supreme Court decision last year that effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
South Carolina also initiated religious rights legislation Wednesday with a bill that would ban transgender people from using public bathrooms, showers or changing rooms of their choice under a bill introduced in the state Senate on Wednesday.
If passed, the proposal from one of the Senate’s staunchest conservatives, Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg, would prevent local governments from requiring businesses to accommodate transgender customers or workers who want to use bathrooms of their choosing.
Bright also proposed mandating that government-run parks, museums and schools designate bathrooms, showers and changing rooms for use only by people based on their biological gender.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.