A few weeks ago, Democrats did something that was incredibly troubling, and I wanted folks to know about the games that are being played in St. Paul. In the middle of the night, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee brought forward a “human rights bill” that might not sound so bad on the surface, but is actually a clear attack on your constitutional rights.

To provide some background info, the Minnesota Human Rights Act used to include exemptions for religious groups. It said that religious institutions could choose to not hire certain individuals that don’t align with their deeply held religious beliefs. However, last year Democrats split up the terms “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” so while those protections still apply when it comes to “sexual orientation,” they no longer apply to “gender identity.” Both terms are still included in the Human Rights Act. This means religious organizations can be held legally accountable if they choose not to hire someone of a certain “gender identity,” even if doing so goes against their religious beliefs.

In last week’s committee hearing, the Republicans on the committee attempted to restore those protections by offering an amendment that would have ensured both gender identity and sexual orientation exemptions applied to religious organizations. It is not surprising that Democrats actively rejected this amendment at around 1:00 am.

Freedom of Religion is a cornerstone of our country and its founding. Religious organizations should be allowed to operate in ways that align with their beliefs. In no universe should the state get to come in and dictate their principles. There’s no other way to put it: these bills are attacking our religious freedoms. I encourage everyone to reach out to Senators and Representatives on this issue – let your voices be heard. This bill is unconstitutional, and it is a clear attack on religion.