Washington, DC April 5, 2016—Today, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has signed HB 1523 into law. “In signing this bill, Governor Bryant is sending a clear message: that Mississippi is not a welcoming place for LGBTQ people, that in MS LGBTQ people will be treated differently than everyone else and will not be protected by the law.
Contrary to what the Governor has said, this law makes a mockery of the basic American idea that we are guaranteed freedom of religion and freedom from religion. Let’s be clear: this is not “religious liberty,” this is in fact a politician cynically taking liberties with faith and our Constitutional rights.” –Reverend Rodney McKenzie, Jr., National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund Director of the Academy for Leadership and Action.