Georgia Governor Vetoes Anti-Gay Bill That Might Have Blocked Atlanta Super Bowl

After drawing criticism from the NFL and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Georgia House Bill 757 will be vetoed.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced his plans to veto the “religious liberty” bill that has been criticized as being discriminatory against gay people.

The bill would have allowed faith-based organizations to deny services to those who violated their “sincerely held religious beliefs,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“This is about the character of our state and the character of its people,” Deal said Monday. “Georgia is a welcoming state filled with warm, friendly and loving people. Our cities and countryside are populated with people who worship God in a myriad of ways and in very diverse settings. Our people work side by side without regard to the color of our skin, or the religion we adhere to. We are working to make life better for our families and our communities. That is the character of Georgia. I intend to do my part to keep it that way. For that reason, I will veto HB 757.”

In addition to the NFL, Disney, Apple, Time Warner and the NCAA were among other industry giants to threaten economic pressure should the bill be passed, according to the AJC.

Thumbnail photo via Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports Images

H/t ESPN