Holly Springs is the latest Mississippi city to enact an ordinance prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, Holly Springs is the fourth city in Mississippi to pass such a law, joining Jackson, Magnolia, and Clarksdale.

“Holly Springs has sent a clear message that all people are welcome, and all people should be protected from discrimination and bias-driven crimes in this city,” said Rob Hill, HRC Mississippi state director. “With four cities in Mississippi now having passed LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances, it is clear that Mississippians value inclusion, fairness and equality. We’re grateful to Mayor Kelvin Buck for his leadership on this issue and to the Board of Aldermen for voting in favor of this ordinance.”

Passed last week, the law takes effect this week.

The law also requires that the city report hate crime statistics to the FBI.

HRC lobbied for the law through its Project One America initiative.