Encourage Your Senator to Vote “NO” on LB 627 and Defend Religious Freedom

Nebraska state senators will soon be considering LB 627 to adopt sexual-orientation and gender identity (SOGI) as a protected class.

This legislation undermines constitutional freedoms, targets small businesses, threaten women’s equality and privacy, and empowers the government to punish people of faith for their religious beliefs on marriage and sexuality.

We all agree that arbitrary discrimination is wrong. Unfortunately, laws like LB 627 are consistently used as a sword against people of faith rather than as a shield against discrimination.

♦ Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, is willing to serve all people, but not celebrate all occasions. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission has sought to punish Jack under their statewide SOGI law for not creating custom same-sex wedding and gender transition cakes.

♦ Pascha Thomas‘ five-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted in her school restroom by a male classmate who identifies as “gender fluid.” He was given access to the girls’ restroom through Georgia’s school SOGI policy.

♦ Downtown Hope Center is a homeless shelter for women who have suffered rape, physical abuse, and domestic violence. The shelter is being pressured to house biological men to meet the requirement of Anchorage, Alaska’s SOGI law.

Learn more read “The Victims of SOGI Laws.”

These laws are the number one vehicle used to undermine religious freedom, and even our religious institutions such as churches, Christian schools, women’s shelters, hospitals, and faith-based adoption agencies would NOT be protected. 

Learn “How LB 627 Will Affect My Business, My Work, & My Church” if passed.

Watch LB 627 testimony from Matt Sharp, Senior Legal Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, and from Karen Bowling, Executive Director from Nebraska Family Alliance.

TAKE ACTION

Senators need to hear from you! Contact your senator to defend religious freedom rights of all Nebraskans and oppose LB 627.

Step 1: Identify Your State Senator

Wondering who is your senator? Enter your zip code on this interactive map to find out!

Step 2: Look Up Contact Info for Your State Senator

Capitol Mailing Address         

Senator _________________________
District # ____ State Capitol
PO Box 94604
Lincoln, NE  68509-4604

Step 3: Call, Email, or Write Your State Senator

SAMPLE SCRIPT 

Whether you write an email or make a phone call, please be polite and respectful. Choose bullet points from below to craft your own message.

“Hello, my name is [Full Name] and I am from [City]. I am contacting you to ask that you oppose LB 627 to ensure religious freedom for all Nebraskans.”

• Every American should be free to live and work according to their faith without fear of unjust punishment by the government. Citizens should not be forced to express ideas or celebrate events that violate their beliefs.

• These proposals require sex-specific facilities, like women’s locker rooms, showers, and restrooms, to admit individuals in accordance with their chosen gender identity. Where enacted, they’ve been used to force women to share a locker room with men who profess a female identity and to allow men to sleep alongside women in women’s domestic violence shelters.

• The citizens of Nebraska, like most Americans, do not refuse to hire people simply because they are gay, lesbian, or don’t fit typical gender norms. Not only are the people of Nebraska tolerant and fair-minded, the free market would swiftly impose substantial costs on anyone engaged in baseless discrimination.

• Under this legislation, Americans who gladly serve everyone – including those who identify as gay and lesbian – face lawsuits, government fines, or even jail time because they declined to participate in an event or create a specific message which conflicts with their conscience.

• Laws that single out and punish citizens on the basis of their peacefully expressed beliefs should be rejected. These divisive laws take away constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and provoke intolerance toward people who have beliefs different than those in political power.

• Laws like LB 627 are used as swords against people of faith and those with traditional understandings of marriage and sexuality.

• The government should not pick winners and losers on topics of deep significance to most Americans.

“I would urge you to oppose LB 627. Thank you for your time and for considering my request.”

[Full Name]

[Address]