A Georgia bill that activists believe targets Muslim women has been withdrawn.
State Representative Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine) announced the withdrawal of House Bill 3, which he pre-filed earlier this week.
“After further consideration, I have decided to not pursue HB 3 in the upcoming 2017 legislative session due to the visceral reaction it has created," Spencer said in an official statement.
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The bill, written by state Rep. Spencer, would prohibit Muslim women from wearing burqas or veils in state driver’s license photos, which is a rule the Department of Driver Services already has. It would also ban the women from covering their faces while driving and possibly while on any public property.
The bill's specific language said: "For the purposes of this subsection, the phrase 'upon any public way or property' includes, but is not limited to, operating a motor vehicle upon any public street, road, or highway."
Rep. Spencer said the bill does not contain language that specifically targets any group, but that he is mindful of the perception that it has created.
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"My objective was to address radical elements that could pose a threat to public safety. However, further consideration dictates that other solutions will need to be considered," Spencer said.
Spencer said anti-masking statutes have been upheld as constitutional and HB 3 would withstand legal scrutiny, but not political scrutiny.