Louisiana overturns Exec. Order on religious liberty, signs new Non-Discrimination executive order

CB Condez Friday, April 15, 2016

Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana signed the Non-Discrimination Executive Order, which protects employees of the state and of state contractors from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, political affiliation, disability, or age, as well as sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

A Gay Pride flag flies below the U.S. flag during a celebration of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling of legalizing gay marriage nationwide, at a rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 26, 2015. | REUTERS/Rebecca Cook

"We are fortunate enough to live in a state that is rich with diversity, and we are built on a foundation of unity and fairness for all of our citizens," the governor said in a statement.

He said that he respects people's beliefs, but he also believes in letting the residents of Louisiana have the opportunity to be successful within the state.

"Our goal is to promote the opportunities we have right here in Louisiana," he said. "While this executive order respects the religious beliefs of our people, it also signals to the rest of the country that discrimination is not a Louisiana value, but rather, that Louisiana is a state that is respectful and inclusive of everyone around us."

The Louisiana cities of New Orleans and Shreveport have also passed municipal ordinances that provide protections similar to Edwards' executive order.

Edwards made good on his word that he would rescind the Marriage and Conscience Executive Order issued by his predecessor, former governor Bobby Jindal. Jindal's Executive Order BJ 15-8 states that no adverse action should be taken by government bodies against a person "on the basis that such person acts in accordance with his religious belief that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman." That had stirred a lot of positive reactions from religious organizations and negative ones from the LGBT community and its supporters.

"The previous administration's executive I am rescinding was meant to serve a narrow political agenda," Edwards said. "It does nothing but divide our state and forced the business community, from Louisiana's smallest businesses to large corporations, like IBM, to strongly oppose it. This executive order threatens Louisiana's business growth, and it goes against everything we stand for -- unity, acceptance, and opportunity for all."