A recently proposed bill would allow for-profit companies to pursue religious-based purposes.
Currently, all organizations incorporated for religious purposes must be registered nonprofit organizations.
SB0729, by Sen. Ralph Shortey, would allow any domestic corporations, limited partnership or limited liability company to establish itself as a religious-based entity if certain requirements are the met.
“What it’s doing is extending the same liberties that a nonprofit has and extending it to corporations,” said Shortey, R-Oklahoma City.
The issue came to his attention after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated that certain contraceptives be provided through company health insurance, said Shortey.
The ACA exempted nonprofit organizations from this mandate, allowing them to provide religious reasons to be exempt.
Shortey said he believes corporations should also have the ability to claim these religious exemptions.
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