The bill is intended to relax anti-discrimination laws to allow for a person to make statements of religious belief which could potentially cause offence to minority groups.

Concern has been raised that the bill if passed would contravene section 17 of the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act which prohibits speech that offends, insults and humiliates a person on the grounds of race, age, sexual orientation, disability or gender.

Statements that incite hatred, violence or harassment would not be protected under the new laws.

Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb gave notice of the motion in the Legislative Council on Tuesday.

She asked the chamber to support a demand for the state government to consult with groups that may be negatively affected by the bill and to support section 17 of the act.

Ms Webb said members should be concerned the federal government through its bill wanted to weaken the rights of the Tasmanian Parliament to make human rights laws.

She said provisions of the bill appeared to allow for bullying in the workplace and classroom and discrimination in service provision such as health care.

Equality Tasmania spokesman Rodney Croome said the upper house in 2017 had opposed the state government's move to weaken section 17.

"Now it has an opportunity to stand up to a federal government that wants to do the same," he said.

"The Tasmanian Government has repeatedly and often angrily stood up to meddling by Canberra politicians, and it would be a clear double standard for it not to do the same in this case."

Government minister Michael Ferguson said the federal government had an obligation to consult on the bill and consultation was open to all Tasmanians.

"The Tasmanian Government is seeking advice across agencies as you would expect," he said.