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WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court of the United States declined today to hear a case brought by a New Mexico wedding photographer who refused to photograph a same-sex couple's wedding due to religious objections. The case raised similar issues to those raised by a vetoed Arizona law that would have given business owners the right to discriminate.

"No court has ever held that businesses have a First Amendment right to discriminate, and it is no surprise that the Supreme Court has denied this attempt to overturn settled law," said Joshua Block, staff attorney with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. "Selling commercial wedding photography services, like selling a wedding cake or a flower arrangement, does not mean that a business owner endorses a customer's marriage. The business is simply providing a commercial service. Everybody has the right to express their views on whatever subject they wish, and that includes business owners. But every business has to play by the same rules to protect customers from discrimination in the marketplace."