Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law a bill that underscores the rights of therapists, counselors and other mental-health professionals to refuse clients with issues they believe violate their personally held convictions and beliefs – but some say the measure was a back-door attempt to undercut the current LGBT community's demand for certain rights.

As BuzzFeed reported, the American Counseling Association criticized the measure as conflicting with the field's code of ethics because it appeared to target and discriminate against LGBT individuals. And an online petition that generated 42,738 supporters before closing called on Tennessee to "don't deny LGBTQ folks mental health care!"

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After Haslam signed the bill into law, the petition website sported the message: "Petition closed. Sadly, Governor Haslam signed this bill into law ... Thank you for all your support in our efforts to thwart this hateful bill. You can help support other LGBTQ rights petitions by going to 'browse petitions' and choosing 'LGBT Issues.' Or, start your own to help stop anti-LGBTQ legislation across the nation!"

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Haslam, however, said the measure was simply a means of ensuring individuals seeking mental-health help were given the best care possible.

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"I believe it is reasonable to allow these professionals to determine if and when an individual would be better served by another counselor better suited to meet his or her needs," he said, in a statement reported by BuzzFeed. "The substance of this bill doesn't address a group, issue or belief system. Rather, it allows counselors – just as we allow other professionals like doctors and lawyers – to refer a client to another counselor when the goals or behaviors would violate a sincerely held principle."

The bill passed the legislature a couple weeks ago, and shortly after, LGBT groups pressed Haslam to turn it down.

The text of the bill gives counselors immunity from lawsuits for turning down any client with goals or behaviors that conflict with their beliefs. The bill was introduced as a means of protecting therapists' religious beliefs, but when passed, the language stipulated only "sincerely held principle," the news outlet reported.