|
In addition to
protecting LGBT rights, the executive order from Governor John
Bel Edwards protected state employees against discrimination
based on race, religion, disability and age. It banned state
agencies from discrimination, while offering an exemption for
churches and religious organizations.
The "Executive Order is a violation of the Louisiana
Constitution's separation of powers doctrine and an unlawful
usurp of the constitutional authority vested only in the
legislative branch of government," Judge Todd Hernandez, of the
19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rogue Parish, said in
his ruling.
The order had been challenged by the state's attorney general,
Jeff Landry, a Republican who has described himself as a
"campaigner for conservative family values."
In a statement, Landry applauded the judge's decision and said
his objections concerned what he saw as the governor operating
outside of his legal mandate.
Edwards said he was disappointed in the ruling and planned an
appeal.
"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," he said in a statement.
Laws curtailing LGBT rights have been pushed in a few socially
conservative states, sparking criticism from corporate,
entertainment and sports leaders that they are discriminatory.
The most contentious has been a North Carolina law that bars
transgender people from using public bathrooms that do not match
the sex on their birth certificates.
(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Additional
reportting by Letitia Stein in Tampa, Florida; Editing by Tom
Brown and Leslie Adler)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
