ASAE and other associations are urging lawmakers in Tennessee and North Carolina to reject laws allowing businesses and individuals to deny service to gay, lesbian and transgender people if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

In an April 13 letter, ASAE CEO John Graham urged Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to veto legislation that would allow therapists and counselors to turn away patients whose behaviors conflict with their "sincerely held principles." The CEO also expressed concerned with a second bill that would require students and staff at public schools and universities to use restrooms corresponding to their gender at birth.

"ASAE stands strongly in support of diversity and inclusion practices not only within the association sector, but in the various municipalities and states in which associations operate," Graham said. "We are deeply opposed to any laws that permit or even give the appearance of tolerating discrimination."

The letter builds on protests against the Tennessee law by the American Counseling Association, which said in a statement the legislation "is nothing but a way for hateful legislators to codify their prejudicial beliefs."

ASAE took a similar stance last year when Indiana passed a law allowing businesses to deny service to gay and lesbian couples if such service would violate their religious beliefs. That law was later amended to remove the parts that sparked criticism.. The issue has remained on the radar as several states have taken up similar legislation in recent months, although many bills now include language preventing transgender people from using public restrooms that do not correspond to their original sex.

"It is the direction our board wants us to go," Jim Clarke, senior vice president of public policy, told CEO Update. He noted ASAE has a strong diversity program.

In the case of North Carolina, ASAE joined the Consumer Technology Association, Computer & Communications Industry Association and numerous businesses in urging a repeal of its law. ASAE also voiced concerns about a religious freedom law in Georgia that Gov. Nathan Deal ultimately vetoed.

Complaints by ASAE and other business groups are more than just talk. Many host trade shows that bring in millions of dollars to the states in question, and they are not afraid to point that out. Graham noted in his letter that ASAE held its annual convention in Nashville in 2014, which contributed $16 million to the city's economy. The implied threat is that religious freedom laws would force associations to avoid hosting events in states that have them.

"Proponents of these bills may think they are narrowly focused on public school facilities or counseling, but the reality is that they broadcast an unflattering message about the state in general and its treatment of all individuals who reside in or visit the state," Graham said.

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