AUSTIN - The same day the U.S. Supreme Court took up the issue of same-sex marriage, the state Senate fast-tracked a religious freedom bill that would allow clergy to refuse to marry gay couples.

Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, said he sponsored Senate Bill 2065 at the urging of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The Senate suspended its rules to allow the bill to be introduced on Tuesday, weeks past the session's filing deadlines.

The legislation would allow a religious organization or affiliated individual, such as a member of the clergy or officiant, to refuse to preside over any marriage "if the action would cause the organization or individual to violate a sincerely held religious belief." It also would allow them to refuse to provide "services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges" toward the "solemnization, formation, or celebration" of any such marriage.

"I don't think it would be advisable to compel men or women of the cloth to do marriages that violated their closely held religious beliefs," said Estes. "There's a companion bill in the House, and we filed the Senate bill at the request of the lieutenant governor."

Chuck Smith, head of the gay rights group Equality Texas, said the bill is more wide-reaching than it may appear on first reading. Because it is not restricted to officiants acting in their official capacities, Smith said, the bill would allow anyone who is ordained to discriminate against anyone at any time.

The bill is also needless, Smith added, if its purpose is to allow officiants to refuse to marry certain couples since that right already exists.

"We respect the religious freedom of clergy to determine who to marry," said Smith. "That right is already constitutionally protected. So, in some respects, that statute is unnecessary."

The House's version, HB3567, passed in committee on Monday. Bill sponsor Rep. Scott Sanford, R-McKinney, agreed to some minor changes, including removing language that would allow clergy to refuse to "treat any marriage as valid for any purpose."

Smith said he hopes Sanford and Estes agree to limit the bill to officiants "acting in that capacity." The Senate bill is scheduled to be heard in committee Thursday.

On Wednesday, Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer expressed concern that the Senate suspended its normal rules to fast-track the legislation.

"The lack of transparency and notice to the public is shocking. Whatever rules the Senate suspended to bring this up, they should suspend again to bring it down," said Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio. "All Texans who believe in equality must take action: Call your senator, show up and oppose not only this discriminatory bill but also the extraordinary actions the Senate took to push this controversial legislation."