Georgia governor says he'll veto anti-LGBT bill

Georgia says no to discrimination.
(Image credit: Davis Turner/Getty Images)

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) said Monday he'll veto an anti-LGBT religious freedom bill, ABC News reports.

"Georgia is a welcoming state. It is full of loving, kind and generous people," Deal said. "And that is what we should want."

The bill, called the Free Exercise Protection Act, would have allowed clergy members to decline performing marriage rites that conflict with their religious beliefs and said that without a strong interest, state government couldn't infringe on the religious rights of individuals and organizations.

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A slew of actors and film studios threatened to boycott making movies in Georgia should the bill become law. If passed, the bill also could have jeopardized Atlanta's chances of hosting an upcoming Super Bowl.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.