After Pressure From NFL and Disney, GA Governor Will Veto Religious Freedom Bill

Georgia legislation that protects the religious freedom of state pastors and religious institutions has been vetoed by Republican Gov. Nathan Deal.

House Bill 757 allows faith-based organizations to deny service to anyone they think violates their religious beliefs. It passed last Wednesday despite opponents declaring it amounted to discrimination against homosexuals. The Human Rights Campaign, for instance, called the bill “egregious” and called the people behind the legislation “anti-equality extremists.”

Deal also faced pressure from the NFL, who threatened to withdraw their Super Bowl bid from Georgia should he refuse to block the bill. Then there were the warnings from Disney and Marvel movie studios, who said they would stop filming in the state over what they deemed an “anti-LGBT” bill.

These potential economic boycotts apparently were enough to make up Deal's mind.