A bill [HB 1840] [text, PDF] in Tennessee that will allow mental health counselors to turn away patients based on the counselors’ religious beliefs passed on Monday. In February the Senate [official website] passed the bill that allowed counselors to turn away patients based on “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The Tennessee State House of Representatives [official website] passed the bill [AP report] 68-22 with the amendment that counselors could turn away patients based on the “sincerely held principles of the counselor or therapist.” This amendment however will not allow therapists to turn away people who are in imminent danger or harming themselves or others. The Senate agreed to this change [REUTERS report] in a 26-6 vote on Monday and the bill will now head to the Governor’s desk. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam [official website] has yet to state whether or not he would support the bill and sign it into law. Governor Haslam has 10 days to take action on the bill once it has reached his desk.

Many who oppose this bill claim that it is being used to allow Therapists to refuse counseling to the LGBT community. The intersection of religious liberty and sexual orientation and gender identity has been a controversial issue in the US. Last Week Mississippi governor Phil Bryant signed a bill that allows [JURIST report] state employees to refuse to issue same-sex-marriage licenses and private corporations and religious groups to deny services to the based upon religious beliefs. Also last Week Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed a notice of appeal [JURIST report] of a judge’ s decision upholding a Fayetteville ordinance that protects members of the LGBT community from discrimination. Last month Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said that he would veto [JURIST report] a religious freedom bill that critics claim would sanction discrimination against LGBT individuals. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe vetoed [press release] a similar bill. Also last month North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper on stated [JURIST report] during a press conference that he will not defend House Bill 2, which he considers to be discriminatory against the LGBT community. That legislation specifically prohibits local municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination ordinances.