Houston, TX, March 28, 2019 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) applauds the several businesses, tourism groups and chambers of commerce that signed onto a letter to Texas lawmakers criticizing bills that could greatly harm our state’s economy and reputation, jeopardize thousands of jobs and target the LGBTQ community as well as other groups. Amazon, Apple, Dell, Facebook, HP, PayPal, PepsiCo the Dallas, McKinney, Plano and Richardson Chambers of Commerce and the Dallas and Fort Worth convention and visitors bureaus are among the business groups that signed onto the letter.

The business coalition specifically focused on two bills, Senate Bill 15 and Senate Bill 17, which ADL has also been actively opposing this session. Senate Bill 15 aims to do away with local sick leave policies and would also undo local nondiscrimination ordinances that protect LGBTQ citizens. Senate Bill 17 would create “religious exemptions” for virtually every licensed occupation in Texas- from doctors and nurses to accountants, counselors, teachers and pharmacists- allowing them to call on “sincerely held religious belief” in taking a discriminatory action and then taking away the ability of the licensing agency that oversees the occupation to have any recourse to remedy that discrimination.

ADL Interim Southwest Regional Director Gail Glasser released a statement welcoming the businesses opposition to these bills:

“We appreciate the business community for speaking up and standing with us and our coalition partners to oppose these unnecessary, discriminatory and divisive bills, as well as several others, pending in the Texas legislature this session. We are grateful to the business coalition for being an ally to the LGBTQ community and to the religious and minority communities that would be affected by such laws. Their action helps ensure Texas is welcoming for all people, families, communities and businesses.”