JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment to protect businesses that deny services for same-sex weddings are lobbying Missouri legislators.

About 200 backers of the amendment rallied Tuesday in the Capitol.

The measure would ban government punishment of businesses that cite religion while declining goods or services of “expressional or artistic creation” for same-sex weddings.

If passed by the Legislature, voters this year would decide whether the amendment should be added to the Missouri Constitution. Sponsor Sen. Bob Onder urged the crowd to tell House members to allow the proposal to go to voters.

The measure needs to pass two House committees before it could be debated by the full House.

The rally came the day after a business group that opposes the measure announced brewery Anheuser-Busch joined its ranks.