California churches would have increased legal protection under a new bill being proposed by gay marriage advocates.
"I think the law should be passed, it takes the church off the hook and leaves us alone," said CeCe Matthews, Chico gay rights leader.
During the '08 election Proposition 8 supporters argued that if same sex marriage is approved churches would be forced to marry gay couples or lose their tax exemption.
Now gay marriage advocates hope to undercut religious concerns by passing a new law. SB 906 guarantees that no clergy member would be forced to perform a marriage that conflicts with their religious beliefs and failure to marry someone would not affect a church's tax exempt status.
The bill also aims to clarify the difference between civil and religious marriage.
"We have to separate church from state and that has not happened so far," said Matthews.
The bill has received support from prominent church groups like the California Southern Baptist Convention and California Church Impact.
Jesse Ruhl, Athletic Director and long time member of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Chico, was not so supportive.
"On every marriage document it says 'By the power given by God' because God is the one who ordained it. So I think it would be religious not civil," said Ruhl.
Ruhl also worries the bill could be a ploy to fool the voters and believes churches would still face persecution if they refuse to perform gay marriage.
"They always will be able to find a loop hole where they would be able to tie churches in and say they would be discriminating," said Ruhl.
