Ordinance could have threatened religious liberty

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill May 23 overturning a controversial Nashville ordinance that forced businesses with ties to the city to adopt “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” nondiscrimination policies.



The new Tennessee law applies to all cities but its immediate impact is felt on Nashville, which had passed an ordinance in April that opponents said was anti-business and anti-religious liberty. The ordinance applied to any business that had a contract with the city. A court challenge to the new law is possible.

Southern Baptist leaders Richard Land and Frank Page, along with Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Director Randy Davis, had urged Haslam to sign the bill, which passed the state House 70–26 and the state Senate 21–8. The bill prevents localities from adopting nondiscrimination policies not in line with state law.



The legislation was needed, supporters said, to ensure the uniform application of the state’s nondiscrimination laws, thereby protecting employers from having to deal with a variety of municipal policies.

For Christian leaders, the primary concern was religious liberty. In a letter to Haslam, the three Baptist leaders argued that without Haslam’s signature, the constitutional rights of Christian business owners “may be infringed by expansive local nondiscrimination laws.”