Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal Will Veto State’s Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Liberty' Bill
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced Monday he will veto the state’s anti-LGBT “religious liberty” bill - the same day the ACLU said it’s launching a lawsuit to stop a similar law in North Carolina.
Deal announced the bill’s death after days of intense protests and nationwide calls for boycotts of the Peach State.
The measure “doesn’t reflect the character of our state or the character of its people,” the Republican governor told media in his Capitol office.
He called the bill an attempt to “legislate something that is best left to the broad protections of the First Amendment.”
House Bill 757 would have allowed clergy to refuse performing gay marriages, under the guise of protecting “religious freedoms.” It also promised protection for churches and religious institutions that refused service or jobs for faith-based reasons.
Backlash came immediately after Republican majorities passed the risible bill. Disney, Coca-Cola and more than 30 Hollywood stars joined the calls for a business boycott in the state if Deal signed the measure.
Last week, North Carolina rushed a similar act into law, which prevents municipalities from passing any LGBT protections. The ACLU said Monday it will sue to block the law, which it called “a disgrace” and “unconstitutional.” The announcement came the day after two transgender men and a lesbian professor at North Carolina Central University filed a suit against Gov. Patrick McCrory over the law.
Dozens of companies, including Facebook, Google and Apple, have spoken out against the law.