Bill would protect Ohio pastors from officiating gay weddings

COLUMBUS – A Republican lawmaker wants to protect Ohio's clergy from performing same-sex marriages.

The proposal, circulated Tuesday by Rep. Nino Vitale, R-Urbana, would allow pastors, clergy and ministers to abstain from performing same-sex marriages and officiate only ceremonies "in line with their deeply held religious beliefs." It would not apply to florists, bakeries or other businesses.

"It really just focuses on the religious community not being forced to do something against their deeply held beliefs," Vitale said.

The proposal was modeled after a Texas law signed in June.

Friday's U.S. Supreme Court decision, which legalized same-sex marriage in Ohio and several other states, was not enough to protect religious leaders, Vitale said.

"I've had many people say they are fearful of what might happen to them and their church property, and how it is going to be protected," Vitale said.

But Chris Geggie, campaign manager for Why Marriage Matters Ohio, said religious leaders are already protected from performing ceremonies by the First Amendment.

"Honestly, I don't think it accomplishes anything but waste the state's time," Geggie said.

Vitale said his approach differs from the Indiana and Arizona religious-freedom bills that sparked national firestorms, causing Republicans to kill similar legislation in Ohio.

Gov. John Kasich and House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, have suggested they'd support religious-freedom bills if they pass in conjunction with legislation prohibiting housing and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Ohio is one of 33 states where gay couples can marry but be fired for showing their wedding pictures in the office, Geggie said.

But that's not part of Vitale's proposal, and Ohio's conservative Republicans have declined to sign on to nondiscrimination proposals in the past.