North Carolina joins the exclusive ranks of backward states that allows public officials to deny marriage rights based on their religious preferences. To achieve it, they had to override the governor’s veto of the bill.
Both the Senate and the House in North Carolina had to vote to override Governor Pat McCrory’s veto last week.
According to CBS News:
The law means that some register of deeds workers who assemble licenses and magistrates to solemnize civil marriages can decide to stop performing all marriages if they hold a “sincerely held religious objection.”
In the instance of marriages needing to be performed and no officials being available, the chief District Court judge or county register of deeds would fill in.
In May, while issuing his veto said expressed that the public officials, when swearing to uphold the constitution, should not allow their personal preference to color the way they effect their office.
“No public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath,” wrote McCrory.
McCrory’s stance put him at odds with other social conservatives in his party. He was accused of betraying his state by some conservatives.
Only Utah has a similar exemption.
