Phil Bryant, Mississippi's Republican
governor, on Thursday notified a federal court that he will be
appealing a judge's order that blocked a controversial “religious
freedom” law from taking effect.
Mississippi's Protecting Freedom of
Conscience from Government Discrimination Act (House Bill 1523)
allows businesses to deny services to LGBT people based on their
“sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.” U.S.
District Court Judge Carlton Reeves issued his order on June 30, the
eve of House Bill 1523 taking effect.
Among the plaintiffs in the case is
Joshua Generation Metropolitan Community Church, which argues that
the law favors some religious beliefs over others.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood,
a Democrat, said in a statement that he was uncertain whether his
office would pursue an appeal.
(Related: MS
Attorney General Jim Hood: GOP “duped” pastors into backing
anti-gay law.)
However, Thursday's filings were signed
by Bryant's chief counsel, Drew Snyder.
Bryant has publicly defended the law,
saying
that it “balances the scales of justice to protect Christians.”