NASHVILE Tenn. — A proposal that seeks to prevent public higher education institutions in Tennessee from discriminating against religious groups was approved by a House subcommittee on Tuesday despite criticism that it’s unnecessary and its language is ambiguous.
The House Education Subcommittee on Tuesday approved the measure sponsored by Republican Rep. Mark Pody of Lebanon on a 7-2 vote.
The proposal is similar to legislation that was vetoed by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam last year.
That measure tried to force Vanderbilt University a private institution to exempt student religious groups from its nondiscrimination policy.
The university’s so-called “all-comers” policy requires student groups at the school to allow any interested students to join and run for office. Religious groups said it forces them to accept students who don’t share their beliefs.
The proposal that cleared the subcommittee on Tuesday makes no reference to private institutions.
According to the bill, public higher education institutions are prohibited from withholding funding or access to facilities if “a religious student organization may determine that the organization’s religious mission requires that only persons professing the faith of the group and comporting themselves in conformity with it qualify to serve as members or leaders.”
