CLAIM: The Respect for Marriage Act would allow the Internal Revenue Service to revoke the tax-exempt status of churches that only support marriage between a man and a woman. Small business owners and religiously-affiliated groups could be sued or shuttered under this law for the same beliefs.
AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. Nothing in the legislation — which is aimed at protecting same-sex and interracial marriages — would allow churches to be denied tax-exempt status or other organizations to be sued for their stance on marriage, constitutional law experts tell The Associated Press. In fact, recent amendments to the bill specifically clarify that it cannot impact tax status or the rights of private individuals or businesses already enshrined in the law.
THE FACTS: The legislation passed a key vote in the Senate on Wednesday, with 12 Senate Republicans joining all Democrats to forward the bill for a final vote. But while the bill has support from some faith groups like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, others have argued it’s a threat to religious freedom.
Recent posts on social media are spreading false claims about the supposed impact the bill would have on churches and religious organizations.
“I got confused over the same sex marriage bill. I thought it was already legal,” reads one post on Twitter with over 23,000 likes. “My cousin is gay and he got married years ago, so I looked into the bill. Ahhh, it will allow the IRS, to revoke the tax-exempt status of...
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in "good health" and suffered only minor injuries during the February 28 strikes, senior Iranian officials said on Friday, dismissing mounting speculation...