Texas lawmakers are hoping to pass a bill that can protect Chick-fil-A and other establishments linked to religious causes.
In March, the city council of San Antonio revoked a decision to add Chick-fil-A as a food selection at San Antonio International Airport. Chick-fil-A owners were reported as donating to religious charities that hold a traditional view of marriage as being between a man and a woman. Opponents of Chick-fil-A view the company’s charitable giving as an attack on homosexuals.
The public and political backlash from the decision caught the attention of the Texas attorney general, who wrote to San Antonio’s city council and mayor to consider investigating whether the government broke the law in its decision to ban the restaurant.
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“The Constitution’s protection of religious liberty is somehow even better than Chick-fil-A’s chicken. Unfortunately, I have serious concerns that both are under assault at the San Antonio airport,” wrote Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, in the letter (pdf).
Paxton also included a copy of a letter he sent to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Elaine Chao, alerting her on the situation and asking whether federal law was violated.
The new bill hopes to stop government agencies from making business decisions on grounds of religious affiliation. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has given indications he will sign the bill, making it law, USA Today reported.
So. What are the odds I’ll sign the Chick-fil-A bill?
I’ll let you know after dinner.
@ChickfilA #txlege pic.twitter.com/xKS3vDV4gS
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 21, 2019
“So. What are the odds I’ll sign the Chick-fil-A bill?” Abbott asked in a Twitter post. “I’ll let you know after dinner.”
The post was accompanied with a photo of a laptop displaying a news article titled “‘Save Chick-fil-A’ bill heads to Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott’s desk.” On the laptop’s keyboard is a huge Chick-fil-A soft drink cup.
“With local Texas governments attacking businesses because of donations to religious groups, the time for this bill is now,” said Nicole Hudgens, a senior policy analyst for Texas Values Action, according to USA Today.
Those who oppose the bill in Texas state government view it as detrimental to homosexuals, including openly homosexual members of Texas state government.
“There are people who don’t want us here,” said Rep. Jessica Gonzales, USA Today reported. “There are people who want to the power to remind me I don’t belong.”
Supporters of the bill view it as protecting business owners who hold religious views from intimidation.
The City of San Antonio’s decision to exclude Chick-fil-A based on the religious beliefs associated with the company and its owners is the opposite of tolerance. It’s discriminatory, and not only out of step with Texas values, but inconsistent with the Constitution and Texas law. pic.twitter.com/iOk7G9Eltv
— Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 28, 2019
“The government should not be able to take an action against you for something you do in private, something you donate to, something you affiliate with and are associated with,” said Texas state Rep. Matt Krause, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Before the bill can reach the governor’s desk, it still faces approval from both houses of state government because of modifications since its initial introduction, USA Today reported.
The bill’s passage so far is a reaction to the banning of Chick-fil-A from the San Antonio International Airport, and the outrage that followed.
Chick-fil-A issued a statement earlier in the year to clarify where its charitable giving goes, listing organizations and what they do with the money, in an effort to fight back controversy.
“Recently, media organizations reported on the Foundation’s 2017 charitable giving, which reported in a way that mischaracterizes the mission of the Foundation. The articles highlight the $1.8 million out of the overall $9.9 million that was donated to three organizations characterized as anti-LGBTQ groups,” Chick-fil-A wrote.
The company explained that its charitable giving is aimed at supporting programs for youth and education.
“The work of the Foundation is committed to youth and education. The Foundation’s giving helps with economic mobility of young people by focusing on homelessness and poverty, education, and community revitalization, and is done with no political or social agenda. The narrative that our giving was done to support a political or non-inclusive agenda is inaccurate and misleading,” the statement continued.
The decision at the San Antonio International Airport was made without enough research, according to councilor Manny Pelaez, who said he was regretful that he voted against having Chick-fil-A at the airport, according to KSAT 12.
San Antonio councilor Clayton Perry said the process that led to banning Chick-fil-A was handled poorly, and that Chick-fil-A management should have been contacted.
“This is a smudge on San Antonio,” Perry said, KSAT 12 reported. “No contact with Chick-fil-A. No discussion about it at all.”
