House endorses letting campus religious organizations select their membership based on group's closely-held beliefs
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House endorses letting campus religious organizations select their membership based on group's closely-held beliefs

Date: March 17, 2015
By: Steven Anthony
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Religious groups on college campuses would be allowed to pick their members based on their group's closely-held religious beliefs under a proposal debated by the Missouri House Tuesday
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Springfield Republican Elijah Haahr sponsored the bill, saying it would help protect a religious minority's viewpoint on a public university campus.

Kansas City Republican Kevin Corlew also lended his support, saying just letting anyone into a group would not be right.

Actuality:  CORLEW.WAV
Run Time:  00:10
Description: "If the president of the college Democrats decided midyear to become a Republican, would we require the organization to keep the now-Republican student in the role of leading the Democrats?"

Democrats attacked the bill as a slippery slope toward discrimination, but the bill was given first-round approval by voice vote.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony.

Intro: 
Democrats decried a bill letting religious organizations at public universities select their members based on the group's religious beliefs as a slippery slope to discrimination
RunTime:  0:36
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: St. Louis County Democrat Genise Montecillo said the bill is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

Actuality:  MONTE.WAV
Run Time:  00:06
Description: "We don't have a problem. We are again enacting legislation that many find discriminatory."

Her concerns were echoed by St. Louis City Democrat Mike Colona.

Actuality:  COLCAM.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: "I am shocked that we're having this conversation because we have to operate in a realm of reality. The reality is discrimination occurs."

Despite the opposition, the bill was given first-round approval by voice vote.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony.