Mayor Reed: Religious liberty bill will ‘irreparably damage our economy’

Mayor Kasim Reed released a statement this afternoon condemning the Georgia Legislature’s passage of HB 757 – the so-called “religious liberty” bill. The bill has been sent to Gov. Nathan Deal, who has until May 3 to decide whether to sign it into law or veto. Here is Reed’s statement in full:

“I am deeply disappointed that the Georgia Legislature passed HB 757. This measure is unprecedented in that it codifies employment discrimination and other types of discrimination as a ‘right’. This legislation will irreparably damage our economy and diminish the City of Atlanta’s standing as the business and cultural center of the Southeast.

HB 757 impairs our ability to recruit major corporate headquarters, startups, small and medium-sized businesses. Nearly every corporate, non-profit, academic leader and entrepreneur I’ve spoken with is concerned that its passage will harm their client relationships and their ability to hire world-class talent in Atlanta.

As one of the five most visited cities in the United States, I am also gravely concerned about the negative impact this legislation has on the City of Atlanta’s ability to compete for conventions and major events such as the Super Bowl, which will be worth billions to our economy in the future.

HB 757 does not represent or uphold our city’s rich history of diversity and inclusion. This bill should not become the law of our state.”