Florida Pastors Now Protected from Refusing Gay Marriages

Pastors in Florida are now protected from potential lawsuits if they refuse to perform same-sex marriages.

Gov. Rick Scott recently signed into law HB 43, known as the "Pastor Protection Act." It protects clergy, churches, and religious organizations and their employees from civil action if they choose not to perform a wedding for homosexual couples.

Rep. Scott Plakon, who sponsored HB 43, said most of the bill came from a similar Texas law.

"The law provides that churches or religious organizations, related organizations, or certain individuals may not be required to solemnize any marriage or provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for related purposes if such action would violate sincerely held religious beliefs," according to a news release from Liberty Counsel.

Liberty Counsel's Mat Staver recently spoke at a rally in Tallahassee in support of the bill.

"I am pleased that the Pastor Protection Act is now law in Florida," Staver said. "However, more protections are needed beyond just pastors and churches performing weddings."

"We should pass broad legislation that protects the religious freedom and conscience of all people who refuse to be conscripted into service of the so-called LGBT agenda," he continued.

"This assault on marriage is really an attempt to obliterate Judeo-Christian morality, to destroy marriage and family, and is an attack on God who created male and female," Staver said.