Utah Proposed Free Exercise Bill Pulled From Legislative Agenda

In Utah, state Sen. Chris Buttars has pulled back his proposed Free Exercise of Religion Without Government Interference bill. (See prior posting.) Today's Salt Lake Tribune says that the bill will be studied further before it is reintroduced. The University of Utah had expressed concern that the bill would open them to lawsuits by extreme religious groups. Buttars is seeking a bill that will allow students to wear clothing with religious messages and caroling groups to sing at city hall, but, the paper says, "he doesn't want to open the door to female genital mutilation or any other religious practice he considers extreme."