JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal judge will hear arguments Monday over challenges to a Mississippi law that could restrict access to same-sex marriage.
House Bill 1523 will become law July 1 unless it is blocked by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves.
Four lawsuits say the measure is unconstitutional. They contend it denies equal protection to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. They also say it favors some religious beliefs over others.
The law provides protection for people with three religious beliefs: that marriage is only between a man and a woman, that sexual relations should only take place inside such a marriage and that a person’s “immutable biological sex” is determined by anatomy and genetics at birth.
In addition to marriage licenses, the law could affect adoptions, business practices and school bathroom policies.
Recent Immigration Stories
The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.
