Missouri Democrats stall religious objections measure

Missouri Democrats are blocking a proposed constitutional amendment that would grant greater religious protections to some businesses that decline to provide goods or services for same-sex weddings.

Senate Democrats stalled a vote on the measure during a filibuster that ran from Monday night into Tuesday morning.

The proposal would amend the state Constitution to ban government penalties against businesses that deny on religious grounds services of “expressional or artistic creation” for same-sex couples’ weddings. That could cover bakers or florists.

Clergy and religious leaders also couldn’t be punished for refusing to marry same-sex couples, and places of worship that deny hosting weddings would be protected.

Democrats argued the change would permit discrimination against same-sex couples.