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A new poll shows most Michigan voters are against a business or nonprofit organization having the right to use religious beliefs as a reason for denying service to an individual.
The poll by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA found just 26 percent of voters support businesses or nonprofits having such a right, while 65-percent are opposed.
The survey comes amid the controversy in Indiana, which enacted a Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Critics say the law allows businesses and nonprofits to refuse service to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
A Religious Freedom Restoration Act has also been introduced in the Michigan Senate, but sponsor Senate Republican Mike Shirkey says his bill has nothing to do with allowing an individual or business to use religious beliefs as a justification to refuse service to an individual. He says the measure is aimed at ensuring that governments cannot enact statutes or take other actions that would block a person from exercising her or his religious rights.
The poll of 600 potential voters was conducted Saturday through Monday. It has an error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
