Opponents of Same-Sex Marriage Won't Pursue Ballot Measure Allowing Businesses to Refuse Service

Opponents of same-sex marriage have suspended plans to collect signatures for a ballot measure that would allow businesses to refuse service to same-sex couples seeking to wed, the campaign announced Friday.

Current law allows clergy to refuse to marry same-sex couples, but does not allow businesses to refuse service to someone based on sexual orientation.

The campaign, Friends of Religious Freedom,  took issue with the use of the word "discrimination" inserted into the measure's ballot title by the Oregon Department of Justice during the state's legal review. The Oregon Supreme Court upheld the decision yesterday to include the word. 

"It states it is intolerant instead of protecting equal rights of conscience," the campaign says in a press release. "Further we believe Oregon's segregation between individuals of faith and religious clergy already violated both the U.S. and Oregon constitutions and we have decided to seek enforcement of existing constitutional rights through the courts rather than to make new laws."

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