Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, right, walks past reporters at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Friday, April 1. | AP Photo Mississippi governor signs law letting businesses bar LGBT community

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant on Tuesday signed a law that gives leeway to businesses to deny service to gay customers based on religious belief.

According to a statement, Bryant signed the legislation "to protect sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions of individuals, organizations and private associations" from "discriminatory action" by state government, including counties, cities and institutions of higher education.


Bryant claimed the law "does not limit any constitutionally protected rights or actions of any citizens" of Mississippi — a view likely to be contested by opponents of such so-called religious freedom bills. But he also said the new law would not "attempt to challenge federal laws," even those conflicting with Mississippi state law.

Governmental organizations must still provide services, though individual employees can opt out.

The law will go into effect July 1.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo followed the announcement later Tuesday with a ban on non-essential travel to Mississippi, an order he also made after a controversial bill related to the LGBT community was signed into law in North Carolina last month. Other governors and mayors have also followed suit on the North Carolina law.

The law which mandates that transgender people use the bathroom of their birth and prohibiting anti-discrimination practices for the LGBT community was introduced all on March 24. On Tuesday PayPal announced it would not be building a global center in Charlotte over the law, it was expected to employ 400 people.

A similar bill to Mississippi's -- in Georgia -- was vetoed by Gov. Nathan Deal, who is a Republican, last week.