Missouri Senate Republicans pass anti-gay religious amendmentCHICAGO (Reuters) - A 39-hour Democratic filibuster in the Missouri Senate ended on Wednesday when Republicans forced a vote and approved a proposal to prohibit sanctions against groups and wedding vendors that discriminate against same-sex couples for religious reasons. The resolution to amend the state’s constitution passed 23-9 after the majority Republican caucus used a parliamentary maneuver to end the filibuster, which began at 4:00 p.m. CST on Monday, said Lauren Hieger, communications director for the Missouri Senate Majority Caucus. The amendment must be voted on again in the Senate next week before passing to the lower house, where Republicans have a majority, and then to the state’s voters, Hieger said. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, applauded the effort by the Senate minority to block the resolution. “Rewriting our state’s constitution to condone discrimination would be contrary to our values and harmful to our economy,” Nixon said in a statement on Wednesday. The legislation is among a series of measures introduced around the country by conservatives in response to last year’s U.S. Supreme Court legalization of same-sex marriage. The measures seek to protect religious groups and companies from being fined or punished if they decline to provide services such as wedding cakes or flowers to same-sex couples. Republicans who backed the amendment said it was about religious freedom, but Democrats said it would enshrine discrimination in the state’s constitution. Given their minority position in both chambers of Missouri’s General Assembly, Democrats chose to filibuster, debating overnight on Monday and Tuesday to block the initiative. “Inspired by senators’ heroic stand against discrimination in #MO. The nation is watching & cheering you on!” Nixon tweeted on Tuesday night. “In our pluralistic society, we should have room to respect the religious freedom of Missourians,” Republican Senator Bob Onder, who sponsored the bill, told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday morning. He said the language of the bill was modified in a compromise on Tuesday to narrowly define wedding vendors. The American Civil Liberties Union civil rights group said it would work to fight the bill in Missouri’s House of Representatives. “This amendment raises serious constitutional concerns because it singles out same-sex couples for discrimination,” Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of ACLU of Missouri, said in a statement. politicsNews
missouri senate republicans pass religious amendmentchicago reuters a democratic filibuster missouri senate ended wednesday republicans forced vote approved proposal prohibit sanctions groups wedding vendors discriminate couples religious reasons the resolution amend state constitution passed majority republican caucus used parliamentary maneuver end filibuster began cst monday said lauren singer communications director missouri senate majority caucus the amendment must voted senate next week passing lower house republicans majority state voters singer said missouri governor jay nixon democrat applauded effort senate minority block resolution rewriting state constitution condone discrimination would contrary values harmful economy nixon said statement wednesday the legislation among series measures introduced around country conservatives response last year supreme court legalization marriage the measures seek protect religious groups companies fined punished decline provide services wedding cakes flowers couples republicans backed amendment said religious freedom democrats said would enshrined discrimination state constitution given minority position chambers missouri general assembly democrats chose filibuster debating overnight monday tuesday block initiative inspired senators heroic stand discrimination mo the nation watching cheering nixon tweeted tuesday night in pluralistic society room respect religious freedom missourians republican senator bob under sponsored bill told reporters news conference wednesday morning he said language bill modified compromise tuesday narrowly define wedding vendors the american civil liberties union civil rights group said would work fight bill missouri house representatives this amendment raises serious constitutional concerns singles couples discrimination jeffrey hitman executive director actu missouri said statement politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Missouri Senate Republicans pass anti-gay religious amendmentCHICAGO (Reuters) - A 39-hour Democratic filibuster in the Missouri Senate ended on Wednesday when Republicans forced a vote and approved a proposal to prohibit sanctions against groups and wedding vendors that discriminate against same-sex couples for religious reasons. The resolution to amend the state’s constitution passed 23-9 after the majority Republican caucus used a parliamentary maneuver to end the filibuster, which began at 4:00 p.m. CST on Monday, said Lauren Hieger, communications director for the Missouri Senate Majority Caucus. The amendment must be voted on again in the Senate next week before passing to the lower house, where Republicans have a majority, and then to the state’s voters, Hieger said. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, applauded the effort by the Senate minority to block the resolution. “Rewriting our state’s constitution to condone discrimination would be contrary to our values and harmful to our economy,” Nixon said in a statement on Wednesday. The legislation is among a series of measures introduced around the country by conservatives in response to last year’s U.S. Supreme Court legalization of same-sex marriage. The measures seek to protect religious groups and companies from being fined or punished if they decline to provide services such as wedding cakes or flowers to same-sex couples. Republicans who backed the amendment said it was about religious freedom, but Democrats said it would enshrine discrimination in the state’s constitution. Given their minority position in both chambers of Missouri’s General Assembly, Democrats chose to filibuster, debating overnight on Monday and Tuesday to block the initiative. “Inspired by senators’ heroic stand against discrimination in #MO. The nation is watching & cheering you on!” Nixon tweeted on Tuesday night. “In our pluralistic society, we should have room to respect the religious freedom of Missourians,” Republican Senator Bob Onder, who sponsored the bill, told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday morning. He said the language of the bill was modified in a compromise on Tuesday to narrowly define wedding vendors. The American Civil Liberties Union civil rights group said it would work to fight the bill in Missouri’s House of Representatives. “This amendment raises serious constitutional concerns because it singles out same-sex couples for discrimination,” Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of ACLU of Missouri, said in a statement. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: missouri senate republicans pass religious amendmentchicago reuters a democratic filibuster missouri senate ended wednesday republicans forced vote approved proposal prohibit sanctions groups wedding vendors discriminate couples religious reasons the resolution amend state constitution passed majority republican caucus used parliamentary maneuver end filibuster began cst monday said lauren singer communications director missouri senate majority caucus the amendment must voted senate next week passing lower house republicans majority state voters singer said missouri governor jay nixon democrat applauded effort senate minority block resolution rewriting state constitution condone discrimination would contrary values harmful economy nixon said statement wednesday the legislation among series measures introduced around country conservatives response last year supreme court legalization marriage the measures seek protect religious groups companies fined punished decline provide services wedding cakes flowers couples republicans backed amendment said religious freedom democrats said would enshrined discrimination state constitution given minority position chambers missouri general assembly democrats chose filibuster debating overnight monday tuesday block initiative inspired senators heroic stand discrimination mo the nation watching cheering nixon tweeted tuesday night in pluralistic society room respect religious freedom missourians republican senator bob under sponsored bill told reporters news conference wednesday morning he said language bill modified compromise tuesday narrowly define wedding vendors the american civil liberties union civil rights group said would work fight bill missouri house representatives this amendment raises serious constitutional concerns singles couples discrimination jeffrey hitman executive director actu missouri said statement politicsnews