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The Mississippi Senate approved late Wednesday “religious freedom” legislation seen to enable sweeping anti-LGBT discrimination in the state.

The Republican-controlled chamber approved the measure, House Bill 1532, by a 31-17 vote after two-and-a-half hours of debate. Although the House already approved the measure, the Senate approved a slightly different version, so the House must revisit the legislation before it heads to the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant.

On the Senate floor, bill supporter State Sen. Jenifer Branning insisted the measure wasn’t about discrimination, but instead to preserve “religious liberty” in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage.

“This is not a bill to allow any type of discrimination at all,” Branning said. “In fact, the opposite. It is lifting a burden imposed on a certain group of individuals that would be infringed upon by the government if something was not put into place at this point in light of the Obergefell decision that was handed down last year. It’s not taking away any rights of any group.”

Among those speaking against the bill on the Senate floor was State Sen. Willie Simmons, who warned that passing the measure would a message Mississippi continues to approve discrimination.

“There are many of us after we finish the debate this evening are going to dinner and say how much we love each other, and we’ll make a toast because that’s the we function,” Simmons said. “But the message that’s sent to greater Mississippi, the message that’s sent to the larger world, to say to individuals that if you decide that you do not want to serve and provide a service to an individual because of what they believe, it’s OK for you to do that, and we, the government are now going to endorse or embrace that form of discrimination.”

Titled the “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act,” the measure is seen to allow sweeping anti-LGBT discrimination in the name of “religious freedom.”

The measure prohibits the state from taking action against religious organizations who decline employment, housing or services to same-sex couples; families who’ve adopted a foster child and wish to act in opposition to same-sex marriage; individuals who offer wedding services and decline to facilitate a same-sex wedding. Additionally, the bill allows individuals working in medical services to decline to afford a transgender person gender reassignment surgery.

The bill also allows state government employees who facilitate marriage the option to opt out of issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but the person must issue prior written notice to the state government and a clerk’s office must not delay the issuing of licenses.

Critics say HB 1523 would allow discrimination against single mothers, same-sex couples and their families, transgender people, and children, such as denying them housing in homeless shelters, important medical care, or employment. Moreover, critics say the bill would authorize conversion therapy for LGBT young people in foster care.

Over the course of debate over debate on the bill, one of the amendments that was offered, but failed on a 16-33 vote, would have required businesses intending to discriminate against same-sex couples to put up a sign in their establishment signaling that policy.

Matt McTighe, executive director for Freedom for All Americans, said the Senate’s passage of the legislation recalls the “Jim Crow” laws in the South establishing racial discrimination.

“The passage of this bill marks another unfortunate moment in Mississippi’s history,” McTighe said. “This legislation has nothing to do with protecting anyone’s religious freedom — that important right is already enshrined in the US and Mississippi state constitutions. This bill was written to allow public businesses and taxpayer funded government employees to discriminate against LGBT individuals, single mothers, unmarried couples and their families.”

It remains to be seen what action Bryant will take on the legislation, but he’s expected to sign the bill based on his previously stated support for the measure.

“I don’t think it’s discriminatory,” Bryant is quoted as saying in Mississippi News Now. “I think it gives some people as I appreciate it, the right to be able to say that’s against my religious beliefs and I don’t need to carry out that particular task.”

In 2014, Bryant already signed into law “religious freedom” legislation seen to have enable anti-LGBT discrimination, but the pending litigation is seen to open up the state to expanded discrimination against LGBT people.

Wade Henderson, outgoing CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, said Bryant should reverse his position on veto the legislation.

“Gov. Bryant should reconsider his position and veto HB 1523, a bill that would create a religious-based license to discriminate against the LGBT community in Mississippi,” Henderson said. “Religious liberty is meant to be a sacred shield to protect people from discrimination, not a sword to deny civil rights and equality to others.”