A new proposed bill in Arizona would offer protections to residents who refuse service to gays and lesbians according to their religious beliefs. It would provide increased protection for citizens based on their religious views. The proposed bill should pass because American citizens have a freedom of religion and a choice of whether or not to provide services with anyone.

The bill states that any workers sued in a civil case to claim that they have the legal right to withhold service if doing so would “substantially burden” their religious freedom. Those opposed believe that the bill gives rights to religious individuals that minority groups simply do not have.

State law already makes it illegal for the government to impose requirements on people that violate their religious beliefs.

“What’s missing,” said Republican senator Steve Yarbough in an interview with The Blaze. “A defense in civil lawsuits, when the fight has nothing to do with the government.”

This is not the first time Arizona lawmakers have considered measures to allow the freedom of religion to trump customer rights.

“It’s a fact-intensive question in those instances when you’ve got the preference that we’ve got for public accommodation and the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion,” Yarbrough said in the same interview with Billy Howell, an author for The Blaze. “How does the friction play out?”

Most notably is a law which permits pharmacists, who are licensed by the state, to refuse on religious or moral grounds to dispense the “morning after” pill designed to block pregnancy following unprotected sex. Yarbrough said a pharmacist who is a devout Catholic should not be forced to be a part of what he or she believes is someone’s immoral act.

“If he’s the only pharmacy in Bisbee, you may have a problem,” he said. But Yarbrough said the outcome would be different “if there are two more down the road and Target does this and there’s no issue, and he knows that you can go there.”

Although some believe that this new law prohibits civil rights and is un-American, the first amendment gives American citizens freedom of religion and a choice that should not be stopped or regulated by the government.

The proposed bill will give additional protection to citizens based on their religious beliefs and will allow American citizens to have a choice in who to provide services with.