Gov. John Bel Edwards intends to rescind an executive order former Gov. Bobby Jindal signed in May of 2015 protecting businesses that refuse service to same-sex couples because of the owner’s religious beliefs.
Deadline Hollywood reports it reached out to Edwards office Monday after Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal—under mounting pressure from Hollywood, media and other companies nationwide—vetoed a similar religious liberty bill in his state that had been widely criticized as being anti-gay. Georgia and Louisiana, with generous tax incentives, are two of the nation’s top film-producing states.
Known as “Hollywood South,” Louisiana had become a top filming location in the U.S. in recent years. But a move last year by lawmakers to impose a $180 million annual cap on film tax credits—about half of what California now is offering—has hampered the industry.
“Governor Edwards will issue the executive order, but it is in the drafting stage,” his press secretary, Shauna Sanford, tells Deadline Hollywood. “As far as Jindal’s religious liberty order, the governor intends to rescind it in the near future.”
Jindal issued the executive order after a religious freedom bill failed to make it out of the state Legislature. In December, prior to his inauguration, Edwards said he would rescind it after he took office in January. But since then, none of the four executive orders he’s signed has dealt with the issue.
