The controversy over gays and Boy Scouts has surfaced again in South Georgia, prompting two Republican legislators to say they will introduce legislation aimed at inflicting financial punishment against the Bank of America.

Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs) and Sen. John Wiles (R-Marietta) said the Bank of America Charitable Foundation sent a letter to the Alapaha Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America denying the organization's request for a charitable contribution. The letter said the foundation was turning down the request because the Boy Scouts violate their non-discrimination policy. The foundation will not provide to any organization that practices discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship or veteran or disability status."

The Boy Scouts of America bans gay youth and adults from participating in Scouting. Most youth organizations, including the Girl Scouts of the USA and the National 4-H Council, do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Wiles and Erhart said they will draft legislation that will bar state government from doing business with companies that cite such "non-discrimination policies" when dealing with youth organizations. This ban would include Bank of America and its subsidiaries BA Merchant Services LLC, BA Venture Partners, Banc of America Investment Services Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC.

"Our duty as elected officials is to protect the constitutional rights of our citizens," Ehrhart said. "When a large, out-of-state corporation tries to use its resources to stifle those rights and obligate certain behavior, we have an obligation to act. Georgians' and scouting's values are not for sale and should not be subject to extortion by any entity."

"Bank of America, like any company, has the right to support whatever causes it chooses," Wiles said. "However, the State of Georgia also has rights."

Scouting for All, an organization supporting gay scouts and atheist scouts reacted in a press release: "The proposed legislation effectively discriminates against corporations that enforce anti-discrimination policies in dealing with youth organizations. The proposed legislation amounts to extortion."