Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in for his second term of office, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, on the south steps of the state Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, an ardent backer of the state's controversial "Religious Freedom" law, is appealing a federal judge's rejection of the measure last week.

Bryant says in a motion filed in U.S. District Court on Thursday that plaintiffs in four lawsuits contesting the legislation haven't proved they would be harmed. The governor asked that an injunction blocking implementation of the law, which was to go into effect July 1, be lifted until the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rules.

"The Court complains that HB 1523's protections 'creates a vehicle for state-sanctioned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,' but that observation reflects nothing more than the Court's disagreement with Mississippi's decision to prioritize freedom of conscience over anti-discrimination norms," lawyers for the Republican governor argue.

Bryant also argues, in contrast to what many legal experts and the state's attorney general say, that Judge Carlton Reeves' June 30 ruling against the law is unlikely to stand on appeal. Therefore, the court documents argue, a stay of the temporary injunction against the law's implementation is in the public interest.

In a related development, 10 states sued the federal government Friday over rules requiring public schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms conforming to their gender identity.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Nebraska. Mississippi is not among the 10 states listed as plaintiffs. The only Mid-South state is Arkansas; the others are Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming.

The filing comes after 11 states sued in May over the same Obama administration directive. North Carolina officials also sued the federal government in May over the same issue. Vast sums of federal funding are at stake: Money could be withheld from public schools that refuse to comply with the federal directive.

In the Mississippi case, Matt Steffey, a constitutional law expert at the Mississippi College School of Law, said earlier this week he felt sure the law was unconstitutional and would not be upheld on appeal.

"If this were my money, there's no way I'd take on appeal," Steffey said. "I'm sure there will be political pressure, but there's no way I'd do it."

Further, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has expressed reservations about appealing. Hood's office would be responsible for appealing on behalf of the state; Bryant appealed individually as one of the defendants.

"The federal court's ruling was straightforward and clear," Hood said in a statement immediately after Reeves' ruling. "I can't pick my clients, but I can speak for myself as a named defendant in the lawsuit. The fact is that the churchgoing public was duped into believing HB 1523 protected religious freedoms.

"No court case has ever said a pastor did not have discretion to refuse to marry any couple for any reason. I hate to see politicians continue to prey on people who pray, go to church, follow the law and help their fellow man."

The stated purpose of the law was to protect private businesses and government officials who felt their religious beliefs would be violated by providing services to certain individuals. County clerks and deputy clerks could decline to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Though the implications were potentially broad — services could be denied to those suspected of having premarital sex — it was aimed primarily at same-sex couples in the wake of last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide.

Roberta Kaplan, an attorney for the Campaign for Southern Equality, said she has no problem with Bryant exercising his right to appeal. Kaplan said she's disappointed, however, that he wants the temporary injunction lifted pending appeal.

"It's very disappointing he wants to lift the injunction before there's a final resolution, considering the cloud that hangs over the plaintiffs in this case," Kaplan said.

Kaplan argued several of the cases that challenged the measure's legality.

"We're confident we will ultimately prevail," she said. "The judge (Reeves) presented a very well-reasoned ruling."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.