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House Will Work With Senate On Same-Sex Marriage Bill

House Speaker Ray Merrick says if he had to do it over again, he would not have brought a controversial religious freedom bill up for a vote.

The bill would allow businesses, individuals and religious groups to refuse service or employment benefits to same-sex couples on religious grounds.

Critics of the legislation say it will allow discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Merrick, a Republican from Stilwell, calls bringing the bill to the floor a "hiccup" in the process. He says their intent was to protect people who don't want to take part in same-sex marriages, not to condone discrimination.

“When I read the bill, I didn’t see all the bogeymen in it like everybody else is seeing. Like I say, the buck stops here. We’re going to come to consensus with the Senate and get a bill out that everybody can live with,” Merrick said.

Earlier Friday, Senate leaders said the bill would not pass that chamber in its current form.

Stephen Koranda is the managing editor of the Kansas News Service, based at KCUR. He has nearly 20 years of experience in public media as a reporter and editor.