The Professionals' Freedom of Expression Act seeks to safeguard professionals and businesses from punitive actions based on their personal beliefs or lawful expressions of those beliefs that are not related to their professional duties. The bill explicitly prohibits governmental entities and private licensing organizations from denying, revoking, or suspending licenses solely due to these beliefs. It also allows individuals who believe they have been wronged by such actions to seek legal recourse for damages, costs, and attorney fees. The definition of "beliefs" is broadened to include any sincerely held religious beliefs, particularly those concerning marriage, family, or sexuality.

In addition to these protections, the bill amends existing laws governing real estate brokers and salespersons to prevent discrimination based on beliefs in contexts unrelated to real estate transactions. It establishes that real estate organizations cannot condition access to multiple listing services on membership and mandates equal fees for both members and non-members. The bill also introduces new regulations for earnest money handling in real estate transactions, particularly when an escrow agent other than a broker is involved, and outlines ethical standards for licensees. It further clarifies that a branch broker cannot be associated with more than one supervising broker without consent and repeals certain existing statutes, while emphasizing that violations of the new regulations will be treated as prohibited acts.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 58-3034, 58-3062