The Texas Senate gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would prohibit a state agency from adopting "any rule, regulation, or policy" that would burden an occupational license holder's "free exercise of religion" or "freedom of speech regarding a sincerely held religious belief."

The bill also provides that a holder of an occupational license from the state may claim that the state agency has violated this rule as a defense if their license is threatened. However, the person would not be allowed to assert a violation of this rule as a defense to "an allegation of sexual misconduct" or "prosecution of an offense."

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