Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a
Democrat, has appealed a ruling that declared his executive order
protecting LGBT workers unconstitutional.
Edwards' order, issued in April 2016,
prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and
gender identity among state agencies and contractors doing business
with the state. Religious organizations are exempt.
Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry
challenged Edwards' order, saying that he had exceeded his authority
in issuing it.
A state district judge and a state
appeal court sided with Landry.
Edwards' order “goes beyond a mere
policy statement or directive to fulfill law, because there is no
current state or federal law specifically outlining
anti-discrimination laws concerning and/or defining sexual
orientation or gender identity,” the appeal court wrote.
Edwards responded to the ruling in a
statement. “Discrimination in state government and by state
contractors is wrong, makes us weaker, and is bad for business and
economic development. Even President Trump agrees, as he has kept in
place a federal executive order which is virtually identical to the
order I put in place."
On Friday, Edwards announced that he
had appealed the ruling to the state Supreme Court in New Orleans.