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US Fifth Circuit lifts court order against ‘religious freedom’ law in Mississippi
The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted a court order against a ‘religious freedom’ law in Mississippi that will facilitate extensive anti-LGBT discriminatory practices, citing the technical issue of lack of standing for plaintiffs. The Court issued a verdict allowing for the implementation of HB 1523 which had been blocked as a result of an earlier court order. HB 1523 had been signed by the governor last year and enabled individuals and businesses to discriminate against LGBT people in the name of “religious freedom.” The law prohibits the state from taking action against religious organizations that decline employment, housing or services to same-sex couples; families who’ve adopted a foster child and wish to act in opposition to same-sex marriage; and individuals who offer wedding services and decline to facilitate a same-sex wedding. Furthermore, it allows individuals working in medical services to decline a transgender person gender reassignment surgery.