Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill into law on Wednesday allowing counselors and therapists to refuse clients based on their beliefs — seen by several advocacy groups as part of a national legislative effort to enact laws that let service providers reject LGBT people.
Proponents of the law had argued it was necessary to ensure clients would get help from providers best suited for their needs instead of getting stuck with professionals who are a bad fit.
In a statement, Haslam said, “I believe it is reasonable to allow these professionals to determine if and when an individual would be better served by another counselor better suited to meet his or her needs.”