Protecting religious liberty and state sovereignty relating to marriage

This bill relates to protecting religious liberty and state sovereignty relating to marriage. The bill provides that the state of Iowa recognizes freedom of religion as an unalienable right and recognizes the institution of marriage as a sacred religious sacrament that is inextricably and fundamentally bound with free exercise of that right. The state of Iowa also recognizes the deep historical and religious roots that uniformly defined and understood marriage to be the union between one male and female. Therefore, no resident of Iowa shall be compelled, coerced, or forced to recognize any same-sex unions or ceremonies as marriage, notwithstanding any laws to the contrary that may exist in other states, and no legal action, criminal or civil, shall be taken against citizens in Iowa for refusal or failure to recognize or participate in same-sex unions or ceremonies. The bill also specifies reasons why the state of Iowa considers certain elements of the federal Respect for Marriage Act, Pub. L. 117-228, relating to the definition of marriage to be null and void ab initio and to have no effect whatsoever in Iowa.