Victory for HB 1523, Governor as U.S. Supreme Court Declines Review
Opponents of LGBT rights in Mississippi enjoyed a legal victory this morning when the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would not review a challenge to the controversial House Bill 1523, which Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law in April 2016.
Mississippi Same-Sex Marriage Case Moving Ahead with HB 1523 Now Law
Legal challenges to the anti-LGBT House Bill 1523 will continue, as U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves has lifted the stay on the 2014 lawsuit that sought to force the State of Mississippi to recognize same-sex marriages and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
HB 1523: Mississippi's Extreme Attack on LGBT Rights
The insidious power of a law like this is that it casts a long shadow over public life, forcing someone to assess whether they will be treated fairly and respectfully in situations from the crisis of an emergency room to an anniversary dinner at a restaurant to a child’s classroom
HB 1523 Creates a Dark and Dismal Cloud Over Mississippi
I am a proud gay man who will always be a product of Mississippi. Once again, I offer this statement simply to show my support for Mississippi's LGBT community and its incredible allies.
HB 1523 Becomes Law Tuesday, Oct. 10, After 5th Circuit Denied Stay
The "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" will become state law on Tuesday, Oct. 10, after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied attorneys' request to prevent the law from taking effect while they petition the U.S. Supreme Court.
HB 1523 May Become Law This Week; Plaintiffs Asking Supreme Court to Hear Case
House Bill 1523, the law Gov. Phil Bryant signed that can allow Mississippians acting on their religious beliefs to discriminate against LGBT citizens, is set to become state law this Friday—unless the 5th Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decides differently.
5th Circuit Must Rule on Petitions, Issue Mandate Before HB 1523 Becomes Law
The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will have to decide whether to hear plaintiffs' petition to re-hear their case against House Bill 1523; the law does not go into affect until the 5th Circuit issues a mandate.
Pride Month Is Over, But the Fight Isn’t
It is interesting that the three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which lifted the injunction blocking HB 1523, did so in June during the last week of Pride month.
Plaintiffs Fighting House Bill 1523 Ask Full 5th Circuit to Re-Hear Case
Twelve Mississippians have asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to re-hear their case against House Bill 1523, now law, in front of all the judges.
Legal Fight Against HB 1523 Continues
What critics call the nation's "most discriminatory anti-LGBT law" took effect in Mississippi last week after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the lower court's injunction on House Bill 1523, saying plaintiffs had not proved "injury in fact" to give them standing to file a lawsuit in the first place.
House Bill 1523 Becomes Law after 5th Circuit Overturns Injunction
The controversial "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Religious Discrimination Act" is now state law, after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the 2016 injunction that prevented House Bill 1523 from becoming law last July.
Sanderson Farms, IBM: HB 1523 Hurts Businesses, Economic Growth
Mississippi business leaders, corporations, lawyers and locals denounced House Bill 1523 in eight legal briefs filed just before Christmas, supporting plaintiffs that want the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the lower court's decision and deem the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" unlawful.
HB 1523 Opponents Fight Back, Say Law Gives 'Special Rights'
LGBT rights proponents are pushing back on Gov. Phil Bryant's effect to bring House Bill 1523 back to life today, saying that it endorses and gives special treatment "to certain religions or religious beliefs over others."
Mississippians Rally Against Hate, HB 1523: 'We Cannot Be Silent'
More than 200 Mississippians staged a "Rally Against Hate" Sunday, demonstrating against Gov. Phil Bryant's determination that a law allowing individuals, businesses and government workers to discriminate against LGBT citizens based on their religious beliefs must go into effect.
What’s Up with House Bill 1523?
In the language of people who refuse to fight in wars like Vietnam, Mississippians should have "conscientious objector" status if they do not want to recognize LGBT citizens' right to get married, Gov. Phil Bryant is arguing in a federal appeal to help House Bill 1523 become law in the state.
UPDATED: ADF to Defend Bryant in HB 1523 Appeal, Emails Reveal Outside Groups' Influence
In a court filing Wednesday, Roberta Kaplan, one of the lawyers representing plaintiffs in the case that made the "Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" unconstitutional, revealed numerous emails that show the Alliance Defending Freedom's influence on House Bill 1523.
Gov. Bryant Alone Appeals HB 1523, Wants 'Special Protections and Accommodations'
Gov. Phil Bryant has appealed to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, asking them to reverse U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves' decision to block House Bill 1523 from becoming law last week.
Simons Says: HB 1523 ‘Is About Bigotry’
Rabbi Jeremy Simons knows his Bible too well to lend credence to people who cherry-pick verses to use it to support House Bill 1523, a law that many criticize as discriminatory against the LGBT community.
UPDATED: 'Still in Legal Limbo': HB 1523 Down in Mississippi, But Not Out
Late last night, U.S. District Court for Southern Mississippi Judge Carlton Reeves stopped Mississippi's controversial HB 1523, the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Religious Discrimination Act, in its tracks.
Hood on HB 1523 Appeal: 'I Will Have to Think Long and Hard'
“The federal court's ruling was straightforward and clear. On page 9, the court quotes statements made by legislators, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The court found that those statements, along with the inclusion of the term "sincerely held religious beliefs" and the definition thereof in HB 1523, were strong evidence that the law was unconstitutional."
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves Blocks HB 1523
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal judge blocked a Mississippi law on religious objections to same-sex marriage moments before it was set to take effect Friday, ruling it unconstitutionally establishes preferred beliefs and creates unequal treatment for gay people.
Establishment Clause Front, Center in HB 1523 Courtroom
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." How those words affect the language in House Bill 1523 could lead to a historic Establishment Clause ruling this week when U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves decides whether or not to issue a preliminary injunction to keep HB 1523 from becoming law on July 1.
Judge on HB 1523: Clerks Can’t Recuse Selves from Marriage Licenses
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the part of House Bill 1523 that says circuit clerks can recuse themselves from issuing same-sex marriage licenses due to a “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.”
HB 1523 in the Courthouse: Roberta Kaplan Makes Her Case
House Bill 1523 was destined to go down Congress Street, a straight shot from the Capitol to the federal courthouse, where U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves heard the first arguments challenging the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" on Monday.
When a Priest Files a Lawsuit Against HB 1523
Rev. Susan Hrostowski is familiar with fighting for her and her family's rights, even if that means going to court. She was one of the plaintiffs in the case that struck down Mississippi's ban on same-sex adoption on March 31.
HB 1523: Bad for the Business Sector
Roy Decker felt the financial consequences of House Bill 1523. Decker, a Jackson developer and architect, says a potential investor pulled out of a project earlier this year, largely because of the new Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination law.
'1523 Demonizes People': Pastors, Community Leaders File Third Legal Challenge
Mississippi pastors, community leaders, activists and a Hattiesburg church have filed a federal lawsuit challenging House Bill 1523, the third legal challenge to the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act."
Gov. Bryant Receives Religious Freedom Award After HB1523
Last week, the Family Research Council awarded Gov. Phil Bryant the first ever "Samuel Adams Religious Freedom Award."
Mississippi Governor: 'Secular' World Angry Over LGBT Law
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says the "secular, progressive world" vented at him for signing a bill that would let clerks cite religious beliefs to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
‘Thank God for Alabama’ Now Has New Meaning
Growing up in Mississippi, it seemed we were always competing with Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana over which state could be the worst in education, health care, economic development and other vital issues. Most competitors try to be the best at their craft, but our competition was a race to the bottom.
Ride Against Fear: From Memphis to Jackson in Protest of HB 1523
Benjamin Morris is biking the length of the state of Mississippi in protest of House Bill 1523.
ACLU Files First Lawsuit Against HB 1523: 'Separate But Unequal'
The ACLU has filed the first federal lawsuit contesting House Bill 1523. The lawsuit names the Mississippi State Registrar of Vital Records as the defendant because that state office would have to collect a list of clerks who are recusing themselves from issuing same-sex marriage licenses as allowed in House Bill 1523.
Living the Dream in Post-1523 Mississippi
Progressive thinkers here are working to leave hate-drenched politics behind, to get enough people motivated to vote to use our purple demographics to send a strong message at the polls that we're not playing that old-time religion of hate any longer.
Due to HB 1523, Plaintiffs, Kaplan Seek to Reopen Same-Sex Marriage Lawsuit
The Campaign for Southern Equality and Roberta Kaplan, the New York-based attorney who won same-sex marriage and adoption cases in Mississippi, have filed a motion to reopen the Campaign for Southern Equality v. Bryant lawsuit, saying that House Bill 1523 violates the constitutional right that plaintiffs won in the case, allowing same-sex marriage couples the right to wed in the state.
Mississippi Doctor: Why I Oppose Mississippi Sharia Law 1523
My opposition to the Mississippi Sharia Statute 1523 is based on my objection to the "protection" of some citizens' "deeply held moral beliefs" and not others.
As a Gay Man from Mississippi, I #StandWithMSLGBT
As I enter my 30th year on this earth, I must come to terms with my negligence to the LBGT family I love so dearly. I am leaving that shadow to voice my opposition to the actions of Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and State Legislators.
Lawmakers, Mississippians Are Sick and Tired of Expensive, Harmful Political Charades
In interviews about House Bill 1523, several lawyers and legal scholars have explained that is close to irrefutable that the law is unconstitutional on several counts.
From Guns to HB 1523, The Unalienable Rights of Conviction, Conscience and Free Exercise
In 2016, I believe we are seeing the same thing happen with respect to our very First Freedoms—the freedoms of conscience and religious liberty.
Hundreds Rally to Repeal HB 1523, State Faces Deadline Today Before Lawsuit
Hundreds of protesters, from around Mississippi and even out of the state, marched alongside several state lawmakers from the Capitol to the governor's mansion on Sunday afternoon, waving flags and signs and chanting "No hate in our state!"
Mississippi: Another Crooked Letter for Us All
HB 1523 made it lawful in Mississippi to discriminate against someone because they are different from you, based on protecting what? You guessed it: religious freedom.
The Last Stand Against HB 1523: Repeal Effort 'Second Chance' for Mississippi?
Rep. Jay Hughes, D-Oxford, and other Mississippi House and Senate Democrats called on the Legislature's leadership to repeal House Bill 1523 this morning.
HB 1523: Half ‘Redundant,’ Half ‘Unconstitutional’
The controversial House Bill 1523, with its long list of protections for people who discriminate against LGBT people and others, will become law in July unless one of two things happen: lawmakers repeal it, or courts strike it down.
Ed Update: HB 1523, Charter Schools and Appointed Supes
Now that Gov. Bryant has signed SB 2438 into law, Mississippians are past the days of voting for their school district superintendents.
Mississippi Godd*mn
When it comes to the erosion of the rights of LGBT people in places like Mississippi, we can't afford to be patient.
U.S. Rep. Thompson at Nissan: If HB 1523 Not Repealed, Must Seek Federal, Legal Recourse
Standing near a huge Nissan Titan truck at the automaker's Gluckstadt plant, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson reiterated today that House Bill 1523 is harmful to Mississippi's reputation and economic future, vowing to fight it through legal and federal avenues.
After HB 1523, We Must Seek Higher Ground
It was at Good Hope Baptist Church in the early 1970s that I first heard God used to justify hatred of black people, of "homosexuals," of feminism, of anything that fell outside their strict, supposedly Christian norms.
HB 1523's Religious Refusals Could Discriminate Against Public, Private Students
Although the Mississippi governor and legislators who support HB 1523, the "Freedom of Conscience of Religion Act," say it will not contribute to discrimination against the LGBTQ community, many legal professionals and policy experts remain skeptical.
Mississippi Hospitality Group Starting 'Everyone's Welcome'
A Mississippi hospitality group says it's starting a campaign to promote inclusion after backlash over an incoming state law that says government workers, religious groups and private businesses can cite religious objections to same-sex marriage to deny services to people.
'Religious Freedom,' My Foot
Religious freedom is an oxymoron, particularly in Mississippi. Freedom only applies to those who are deemed worthy to have rights—the white, rich, male conservatives. Freedom, religious or otherwise, has no place in this state, as it stands to date.
ABC Anchor Robin Roberts on Mississippi Law: Equal Treatment for Everyone
Robin Roberts said Friday that "it hurts my soul" that someone might not be welcome in Mississippi because of a law saying religious groups and some private businesses can cite moral beliefs to deny services to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people.
Mississippi NAACP Head: Phil Bryant's Legacy of Discrimination Continues, Legalizes Hatred
Governor Phil Bryant signed a bill that aims to legalize hatred, once again assuring that his legacy will be one built on hate and discrimination against others.
Iles, Grisham, Eubanks, Reed, Smith, Stockett, Laymon, Tartt Among 95 Mississippi Writers Opposing Anti-LGBT Law
Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi legislators who voted for HB 1523 are not the sole voices of our state. There have always been people here battling injustice.
Coca-Cola, Intel and Others Call For HB 1523 Repeal
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Executives of five more companies have signed a letter calling on Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and Republican legislative leaders to repeal an incoming state law.
Governor Signs HB1523, ‘Unconstitutional’ Abortion Bill Heads to His Desk
An anti-abortion bill that has already been ruled unconstitutional by courts in Kansas and Oklahoma is on its way to Gov. Phil Bryant.
Phil Bryant and Mississippi GOP: Bad for Business
Gov. Phil Bryant's decision is wrong. It's bad for people, and it's bad for business.
Bryan Adams Cancels Mississippi Show, Citing State's New Law
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams is canceling a performance this week in Mississippi, citing the state's new law that allows religious groups and some private businesses to refuse service to gay couples.
'These Are Human Beings': Jackson City Council Passes Resolution Against HB 1523
Late tonight, the Jackson City Council unanimously passed a resolution proclaiming their opposition to the controversial Mississippi House Bill 1523 just less than 10 hours after Gov. Phil Bryant signed it into law today. The resolution mirrors Biloxi's resolution but with added amendments.
Blame Me for HB 1523, the New Jim Crow Legislation in Mississippi
I, along with many others, should receive part of the blame for this resurgence of discrimination and bigotry across our state. I left, I got educated, and I didn’t come back.
'Total Infringement': Governor Signs HB 1523 Over Protests of Business Leaders, Citizens
Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1523 into law today, which will allow businesses, circuit clerks and medical professionals to recuse themselves from offering services based on a religious belief that marriage is "between one man and one woman."
Conservative Policy Center, Lobbyists Fund Poll Question on HB 1523
Within 36 hours after the Mississippi Senate passed House Bill 1523, co-sponsor Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, took up the bill first thing Friday morning, telling the House that reporting about the bill has been biased against it.
Roll Call: Who Voted For and Against the Anti-LGBT House Bill 1523?
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi House voted 69-44 Friday to approve Senate changes to House Bill 1523, sending it to Gov. Phil Bryant to sign or veto.
Gov. Phil Bryant May Get Anti-LGBT Religious 'Conscience' Bill as Early as Monday
The Mississippi House could be sending House Bill 1523 to Republican Gov. Phil Bryant as early as Monday. The bill would let government employees and private businesses cite religious beliefs to deny services to same-sex couples who want to marry.
UPDATED: Anti-LGBT 'Conscience' Bill Includes Judges and Clerks, Makes It Harder to Seek Damages
The Senate passed House Bill 1523, the "Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination" bill," last night after over two hours of debate, including an amendment that makes it harder for individuals to sue and seek damages based upon their "sincerely held religious belief" that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Anti-LGBT 'Religious Conscience' Bill Passes Senate with Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' Blessing
The Mississippi Senate has passed a bill that says government employees and private business people could cite religious beliefs to refuse licenses or other services for same-sex couples who want to marry.
Mississippi Bill Could Hamper Access to Same-Sex Marriage
Protesters say a bill in Mississippi would sanction discrimination by letting public employees cite their own religious beliefs to refuse to issue marriage licenses or perform weddings for same-sex couples.
Trafficking, Anti-Terrorism Bills Still Alive; LGBT Rights Under Fire, Again
Mississippi has a human-trafficking problem that gets far too little law-enforcement and medical attention, but a bill is still alive in the Mississippi Legislature that would provide more resources to fight the problem.
Protesters Against Anti-LGBT Bill Shout Down Mississippi Legislators at Rally
Protesters gathered on the steps of the Capitol on March 29 to rally against the passage of HB 1523, which would make discriminating against the LGBT community legal.
'Discrimination Act' Would Give Clerks 'Kim Davis' Powers
Kim Davis went to jail in Kentucky for not issuing same-sex marriage licenses, but circuit clerks in Mississippi might not have to if the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" becomes law.
