Federal Rulings In HB 1523 Lawsuits Expected Thursday

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Attorneys who sued to try to block a Mississippi gay-marriage law hope a federal judge will hand down rulings in their lawsuits Thursday, the final day before it is set to take effect.

The law would allow clerks to cite religious objections to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

It also would protect merchants and others who refuse services by citing three specific beliefs: That marriage should only be between a man and a woman, that sex should take place only inside such a marriage and that a person’s gender is determined at birth and is unchangeable.

Opponents say it unconstitutionally establishes preferred religious beliefs and creates unequal treatment for gay people.

State attorneys say it provides reasonable accommodations for people who believe gay marriage is wrong.