Opinion

Counseling bill is discriminatory

Rev. Cathy Stone attends the “Keep Texas Open for Business” event at the Texas Capitol Aug. 8, 2017 to protest the bathroom bill in the last session. That’s what divided Texans then. Now, there’s a bill that allows counselors and others to decline services over sincerely held religious beliefs. less Rev. Cathy Stone attends the “Keep Texas Open for Business” event at the Texas Capitol Aug. 8, 2017 to protest the bathroom bill in the last session. That’s what divided Texans then. Now, there’s a bill ... more Photo: Stephen Spillman /Stephen Spillman Photo: Stephen Spillman /Stephen Spillman Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Counseling bill is discriminatory 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Sincerely held religious beliefs are not a license to discriminate, and yet they have repeatedly been asserted as such in recent years — often in response to gay marriage.

Legislation from state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, continues this unfortunate tradition. He has authored Senate Bill 85, which would allow psychologists, marriage and family therapists, counselors, chemical dependency counselors, social workers and behavioral analysts to refuse to provide their services due to sincerely held religious beliefs.

So long as referrals are made to other providers, there would be no disciplinary action or penalty for refusing to provide services.

We have the utmost respect for faith and the guiding force it plays in many lives. But while many of us hold sincere religious beliefs, those beliefs, and their underlying faiths, are hardly uniform. To deny services through wording so vague is deeply problematic and a Pandora’s box for all kinds of refusals. A referral to another willing provider cannot fix such potential discrimination.

What would be a qualifying sincerely held religious belief? The legislation offers no specifics. Is it that marriage is only between a man and a woman, even though the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld same-sex marriage? Could a psychologist refuse services to a person of another faith? Could a drug counselor refuse to help someone because the client is transgender?

Other questions: How would the state assure there are other adequate, qualified providers? And would those providers be accessible? Again, the legislation fails to offer specifics.

This is exactly the kind of legislation that divides Texans from one another and distracts from the compelling issues that affect Texans every day. School finance and property tax reform should be the top priorities this session. Improving transportation and ensuring water security are paramount. So is criminal justice reform.

Allowing counselors and social workers to refuse to help a person in a time of need or crisis? Not so much a priority.

After last session’s debacle over the so-called bathroom bill, which targeted transgender people and risked economic blowback, one would think state lawmakers would steer clear of legislating potential discrimination. One would think they would remember the potential for economic boycotts or the harm that comes with putting Texas in a negative spotlight.

But what’s particularly galling about this legislation is that it is specific to professions that care for people during difficult times. Therapists. Social Workers. Psychologists. Addiction counselors. Implicit in all of these jobs is helping people — not refusing them because of the caregiver’s religious beliefs.

To quote from Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Nothing in that wisdom says, “I was transgender, but you refused to help me because of your sincerely held religious beliefs. But thanks for the referral.”

Stop this legislation in its tracks.