Mississippi Senate passes religious objections bill

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Senate, on a 32-17 vote Wednesday, passed House Bill 1523, which would allow Mississippi government employees or private business people to cite their own religious objections to same-sex marriage to deny services to gay or lesbian couples. A yes vote was a vote for the bill, while a no vote was a vote against it.

The vote total was originally announced Wednesday as 31-17. It was posted to the legislative website Thursday as 32-17. Laura Hipp, spokeswoman for Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, said staff members miscounted on the original announcement.

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Republicans voting yes (30)

Blackwell, Southaven; Branning, Philadelphia; Browning, Pontotoc; Carmichael, Meridian; Caughman, Mendenhall; Chassaniol, Winona; Clarke, Hollandale; DeBar, Leakesville; Doty, Brookhaven; Fillingane, Sumrall;

Gollott, Biloxi; Harkins, Brandon; Hill, Picayune; Hopson, Vicksburg; G. Jackson, French Camp; Kirby, Pearl; Massey, Nesbit; McDaniel, Ellisville; McMahan, Guntown; Michel, Ridgeland;

Moran, Kiln; Parker, Olive Branch; Parks, Corinth; Polk, Hattiesburg; Seymour, Vancleave; Tindell, Gulfport; Tollison, Oxford; Watson, Pascagoula; Wiggins, Pascagoula; Younger, Columbus.

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Democrat voting yes (2)

Jolly, Houston; Wilemon, Belmont.

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Democrats voting no (17)

Barnett, Heidelberg; Blackmon, Canton; Blount, Jackson; Bryan, Amory; Butler, Port Gibson; Dawkins, Pass Christian; Dearing, Natchez; Horhn, Jackson; R. Jackson, Marks; S. Jackson, Preston;

Jordan, Greenwood; Norwood, Jackson; D. Simmons, Greenville; W. Simmons, Cleveland; Stone, Holly Springs; Turner, West Point; Witherspoon, McComb.

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Republican absent (1)

Hudson, Hattiesburg

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Paired voting does not count for or against a bill. A senator who is present can cast a paired vote with a senator who is absent, which allows both of them to reflect a preference. On this bill, Republican Terry Burton of Newton cast a paired yes for himself and a paired no for Democrat Hillman Frazier of Jackson, who was absent.

The Gayly reported on Tuesday that protesters worried the bill would sanction discrimination by letting public employees cite their own religious beliefs to refuse to issue marriage licenses or perform weddings for same-sex couples.

Mississippi is one of about 10 states where such bills were filed in response to the U.S. Supreme ruling last summer legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

The Gayly- 3/31/2016 @ 12:07 PM CDT