Judge blocks Mississippi’s religious exemptions law during appeal
Source: Associated Press
By JEFF AMY, Associated Press · Tuesday, August 2, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal judge on Monday denied a request by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant to allow a law that he says protects religious objections to same-sex marriage to take effect during an appeal.
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, who blocked the law hours before it would have taken effect July 1, made the ruling.
Bryant and Mississippi Department of Human Services Director John Davis are appealing Reeves’ original decision. They’ve already asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to let the law take effect. Reeves explicitly acknowledged that the New Orleans-based appeals court will now consider the law, closing Monday’s ruling by writing “the baton is now passed.”
HB 1523 sought to protect actions motivated by three beliefs: that marriage is only between a man and a woman, that sex should only take place in such a marriage, and that a person’s gender is determined at birth and cannot be altered. It would allow individual county clerks to cite religious objections to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and would protect merchants who refuse services to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people. It could affect adoptions and foster care, business practices and school bathroom policies.
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Read more: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/08/judge-blocks-mississippis-religious-exemptions-law-appeal/
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