Richmond, Va., Apr 3, 2016 / 15:26 pm
The veto of a religious freedom bill means faith-based groups that support marriage as a union of a man and a woman won't have needed protections, the state's Catholic bishops said.
"The Virginia Catholic Conference is deeply dismayed by the governor's action," the conference said March 30. "This veto risks the destruction of Virginia's long tradition of upholding the religious freedom of faith communities which dates back to Thomas Jefferson."
The bill would have forbidden the state of Virginia from punishing religious groups that follow their sincerely held beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. The bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 59-38 and the Senate by 21-19.
Virginia's Catholic conference said the bill would ensure "that clergy and religious organizations are not penalized by the government." The bill would also protect these individuals and organizations from civil liability.