TN Governor Signs Bill Allowing Officials To Refuse Conducting Same-Sex Weddings

Republican Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee signed a measure on Wednesday allowing public officials to opt out of conducting same-sex marriages, as reported by The Hill.

The bill, Tennessee House Bill 878, passed the Tennessee Legislature last week, permitting individuals to decline officiating a marriage if it conflicts with their “conscience or religious beliefs.” Governor Lee endorsed the bill, according to the Tennessee Legislature website.

However, the bill does not authorize officials to deny marriage licenses based on their convictions but exempts them from the duty to solemnize a marriage.

Initially approved by the State House in March 2023, the General Assembly rescheduled its consideration for 2024.

Governor Lee did not make public statements regarding the legislation, as observed on his social media and official website.

Last year, Lee sparked controversy by enacting a law that curtailed drag performances, making it the nation’s first such restriction, and banned gender-transition healthcare for transgender minors, reported The Tennessean. A federal judge subsequently struck down the drag show restrictions.