The U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned the preliminary injunction in the lawsuit, Barber v. Bryant, which had previously stopped House Bill 1523 from taking effect. As a result, thousands of LGBT Mississippians, single parents, and children are at risk of being harmed. This broad license to discriminate includes provision that would seek to allow state employees to withhold marriage licenses from same-sex couples. We will continue to advocate for equal protection for our plaintiffs and the LGBT community in Mississippi.
Update 6/22/17: ACLU of Mississippi Responds to 5th Circuit Ruling in HB 1523 Case
More information about the case can be found here.
A copy of this press release can be found here.
Update 6/20/16: Motion For Reconsideration Filed (attached at the bottom)
Update 6/23/16: Court Denies Motion for Reconsideration
"Although we are disappointed that the court did not immediately block this harmful anti-LGBT law, the court's order makes clear that our case will still move forward, and we are hopeful that it will be ultimately resolved without significant delay. In the meantime, we hope that one of the other legal challenges to HB 1523 will stop this unconstitutional and degrading law so that it never goes into effect."
Update 6/29/16: Judge Carlton Reeves Strikes Down HB 1523
"Less charitably, but also true, is the reality that every time lesbian and gay citizens moved one step closer to legal equality, voters and their representatives passed new laws to preserve the status quo."
- Excerpt from Judge Reeves' Decision
See Judge Reeves' Order here.
