Blog   Government | Marriage & Parenting | Religious Freedom

The North Carolina General Assembly could vote as early as tonight to override Governor Pat McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2, a bill that would protect the religious liberties of certain public servants in our state, and WE NEED YOUR HELP!

In order to override the Governor’s veto, three-fifths of the members present and voting in each chamber must vote to override. This means we need 30 members in the State Senate and 72 members in the State House to vote to override, if all members are present and voting.

Please contact your members of the State Senate and State House TODAY, and ask them to stand for religious liberty by voting to override the Governor’s veto of SB 2-Magistrates Recusal for Civil Ceremonies.

IDENTIFY YOUR LEGISLATORS:

• Visit the “Who Represents Me?” page on the General Assembly website;
• Type in your address in the “Find address or place” bar at the top of both the North Carolina House and North Carolina Senate maps;
• Click on the map, and then click on the “Open Member Page” link;
• Call and/or email your member of the State Senate and State House!

BILL BACKGROUND:

Read NC Family’s Issue Brief on SB 2. This bill would establish a legal right:

• allowing a magistrate to recuse from performing all marriage ceremonies, and
• allowing an assistant register of deeds and a deputy register of deeds to recuse from issuing all marriage licenses..

…as long as the recusal is “based upon any sincerely held religious objection.” The bill would also shield these public officials from punishment or disciplinary action for failing to discharge their duties, for a recusal that is made in “good-faith.”

SB 2 became necessary after federal court rulings forced the State of North Carolina to legally recognize same-sex unions and begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples last fall. Subsequently, a number of magistrates resigned their posts in order to avoid violating their deeply held religious beliefs by being forced to participate in same-sex union ceremonies.