Texas republicans may cut funding for schools with pro-LGBT policies

Rep. Matt Krause (R-Texas).

Rep. Matt Krause (R-Texas), an attorney with the anti-gay group Liberty Counsel.

BY ZACK FORD
ThinkProgress

Two Republican Texas lawmakers have filed bills that would cut funding for schools and universities that have policies supporting their LGBT students and staff.

One bill, HB 360, introduced by Rep. Matt Krause (R) who is an attorney with the Liberty Counsel, would cut funding for any university that does not allow its religious student groups to discriminate based on race, gender and sexual orientation. Of course, these are groups that are using campus funding that all students pay into, and thus all students should have equal access. The bill claims that forcing religious groups to accept students who do not abide by their beliefs “violates the organization’s members” First Amendment rights” of free exercise of religion and freedom of association. Unfortunately, the First Amendment does not include “the right to receive university funding and recognition even while discriminating against university students.” Krause’s chief of staff explained the the bill is being redrafted to be more narrow, but its core legislation is offensive regardless.

Read more at ThinkProgress.org

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