Judge strikes down Louisiana governor's LGBT anti-discrimination executive order

A judge has ruled on Wednesday that Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards' executive order, which is aimed at prohibiting discrimination against members of the LGBT community, violates the constitution.

State District Judge Todd Hernandez ruled that Edwards overstepped his authority because the order creates a law, which is a function reserved for legislators, according to Advocate.

The order was challenged by Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry who claimed that the order was excessive because it demanded organizations to compromise their beliefs on marriage and sexuality as a precondition for winning government contracts.

Similar orders covering sexual orientation discrimination was issued by previous Democratic governors, such as Edwin Edwards and Kathleen Blanco, but it does not cover gender identity.

Landy told Hernandez that he was willing to let the sexual orientation provision stand if the protections for gender identity were thrown out, but the judge decided to quash the entire order.

According to World Magazine, the order contains an exemption for religious institutions, but there are no protections for others who hold Biblical beliefs on marriage and sexuality.

Landry hailed the judge's decision in a statement, saying: "we do not live under a King in Louisiana; we have a Governor, an independent Attorney General, an elected Legislature, and a Court system who are all involved in governance along with others. Governor Edwards must live within the Constitution."

Numerous legal services contracts that contained the anti-discrimination language were blocked by Landry since the order was issued in April. Due to Landry's refusal to include the executive order language in the agreement, the Edwards administration refused to release $18 million to the attorney general's office.

Edwards said that he will appeal the judge's ruling. The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT activist group, intends to help the governor with his appeal.

"We are disappointed in the court's ruling today. With great respect for the role of the Louisiana Legislature, we continue to believe that discrimination is not a Louisiana value and that we are best served as a state when employment decisions are based solely on an individual's qualifications and job performance," the governor said in a statement.