At a press conference on Monday,
Georgia's three openly LGBT state lawmakers called on Governor Nathan
Deal to veto a bill critics say would allow businesses to
discriminate against the LGBT community.
Lawmakers last week approved House Bill
757 after replacing direct references to same-sex marriages with
allowing religious groups to deny services “that violate such
faith-based organization's sincerely held religious beliefs.”
(Related: Georgia
lawmakers okay anti-gay bill.)
“As an African-American black woman I
am personally offended,” state
Rep. Keisha Waites said. “This bill personally impacts my
family and I.”
Rep. Park Cannon said that the
legislation will “enable discrimination.”
“House Bill 757 will allow for
discrimination on sincerely held religious beliefs,” Cannon said.
“We continue to regress by passing sweeping discrimination measures
like House Bill 757. I am sure the state of Georgia is better than
this. This bill will only throw us off course.”
Rep. Karla Drenner added: “When we
allow discrimination in any form, we can no longer call ourselves
free. Freedom is an all or nothing principle. … I respectfully
call on the governor to veto this bill.”
Hundreds of companies led by San
Francisco-based Salesforce have also spoken out against the measure,
including the NFL.
(Related: NFL,
Twitter, Square object to Georgia bill critics say would allow LGBT
discrimination.)