McCrory vetoes religious exemption for officiating gay marriages

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Gov. Pat McCrory vetoed a bill passed in the General Assembly today that would have given some court officials the option to refuse to carry out same-sex marriage duties based on religious objections.

The House gave final approval to the Senate measure earlier today, but McCrory released a statement this afternoon that says he will not sign off on the bill.

“I recognize that for many North Carolinians, including myself, opinions on same-sex marriage come from sincerely held religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, we are a nation and a state of laws,” McCrory said in his statement. “Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath; therefore, I will veto Senate Bill 2.”

Utah is the only other state that’s approved such an exemption.

The North Carolina law would have applied to magistrates and some registers of deeds employees. They would have to stop performing duties for both gay and heterosexual couples. Elected court officials would fill in for marriages if needed.

Opponents said the measure essentially creates discrimination, but supporters say government workers should not have to be fired for their religious beliefs.

(Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.)