Third federal court case seeks to block Mississippi LGBT law

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A third federal court case seeks to block a Mississippi law that will let clerks cite religious beliefs to rescue themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

A lawsuit filed Friday says House Bill 1523 violates the separation of church and state by favoring a few religious beliefs over others. Mississippi Center for Justice filed suit for a diverse group of people, including some ministers.

The American Civil Liberties Union and a gay couple filed suit last month saying the bill violates the constitutional guarantee of equal protection.

The Campaign for Southern Equality and two lesbian couples are challenging the bill by trying to reopen their 2014 lawsuit that helped overturn Mississippi's ban on gay marriage.

All three lawsuits seek to block the bill from becoming law July 1.

EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS, Associated Press

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The Gayly - 7/3/2016 @ 2:47 p.m. CDT