Breaking: North Carolina Governor To Veto 'Religious Freedom' Bill

Photo by Hal Goodtree, CC

In February, the North Carolina State Senate passed a "religious freedom" bill that would allow for magistrates to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite marriage equality being legal.

At that time, Republican Governor Pat McCrory expressed his opposition to the bill, threatening a veto. However, little more was said until Thursday morning, when the state's House of Representatives approved the bill and sent it to McCrory's desk for his signature.

In a brief but authorative press release, the Governor said that he would follow through on his earlier promise and veto the legislation:

"I recognize that for many North Carolinians, including myself, opinions on same-sex marriage come from sincerely held religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, we are a nation and a state of laws. Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer, or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath; therefore, I will veto Senate Bill 2."

According to NC Policy Watch, the Senate will likely be able to muster up the three-fifths majority needed to override McCrory's veto, but the House may not be able to.

Regardless, McCrory's reaffirms his decision to follow the law of the land, rather than resorting to near-anarchy in the face of equality (see Alabama.)

(H/T The New Civil Rights Movement)