August 1, 1999
Source: Los Angeles Times
On August 1, 1999, the Los Angeles Times reported that the House of Representatives passed The Religious Liberty Protection Act on July 15th, which states that local and state officials must bend their rules to accommodate religious claims unless there is a compelling need to do otherwise. Organizations such as the American Jewish Congress, People for the American Way, the Christian Coalition, and Focus on the Family are in support of the legislation, but the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund are opposed to the bill because they fear religious conservatives will use this legislation to discriminate against homosexuals, unmarried mothers, and those with AIDS.