Illinois governor signs bill gutting employers' First Amendment freedoms

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Greg Baylor, director of the ADF Center for Religious Schools, regarding Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s misguided signing Wednesday of HB 4867, a bill that amends the Illinois Human Rights Act in a way that threatens the statutory and constitutional rights of religious and pro-life employers:

“Forcing people or organizations to violate their religious beliefs is unconstitutional and has no place in our society. Many organizations, including religious and mission-driven entities, maintain their unique character through their personnel choices. These employers advance their missions and communicate their messages by hiring and retaining people who wholeheartedly support and share the organization’s mission and message. HB 4867 destroys that essential freedom. The enactment of this bill wrongfully prevents organizations—including pregnancy care centers, Catholic parishes, and religious schools—from hiring only those who share and communicate their beliefs on the sanctity of human life. We are disappointed to see this dangerous legislation signed into law, as it plainly violates the First Amendment freedoms of pro-life employers in Illinois.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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