ATLANTA – House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D-Atlanta) and State Representatives Taylor Bennett (D-Brookhaven), Park Cannon (D-Atlanta), Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Stacey Evans (D-Smyrna), Nikki Randall (D-Macon) and Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta) today commented on Governor Deal’s veto of House Bill 757:
“I applaud Governor Deal for vetoing this flawed and dangerous legislation,” said Minority Leader Abrams. “HB 757 would have enshrined discrimination in our state’s laws, to devastating effects on families and businesses in Georgia. Restricting the civil rights of any community does not reflect our values as Georgians, and I am encouraged that this bill will not become law.”
“This is an amazing victory for Georgia,” said Rep. Bennett. “The Governor’s veto is worth celebrating, and I am hopeful that we will continue work towards equality for all Georgians, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, or religious beliefs. We will continue to work toward making any form of discrimination a thing of the past.”
“Pushing back against legislation like HB 757 is why I chose to run for office,” said Rep. Cannon. “This veto is a major victory for the LGBTQ community in the south and proves that legally sanctioned discrimination has no place in our state.”
“I am pleased with the Governor’s willingness to uphold the values of Georgia,” said Rep. Drenner. “I commend the Governor for doing the right thing. While this is a victory for the LGBT community in Georgia, there is still much work that needs to be done to for Georgia to guarantee full equality for all. I believe Governor Deal’s veto is the step in the right direction.”
“I applaud the Governor for vetoing this harmful and divisive legislation,” said Rep. Evans. “No Georgian, regardless of race or sexual orientation, should be discriminated against. I would like to thank all the citizens, businesses and advocates who spoke out against this dangerous legislation. Together, we made history today.”
“I am relieved that Governor Deal vetoed HB 757 today,” said Rep. Randall. “While the freedom to practice one’s religion is a fundamental right, this extreme legislation went far beyond that. By masking freedom of speech with discriminatory actions against tax paying citizens, HB 757 would have set our state back while putting all Georgians in danger. We deserve better than that.”
“I agree with the governor’s statement that HB 757 did not ‘reflect the character of our state or the character of its people,’” said Rep. Waites. “Governor Deal placed Georgia values over politics and did what was best for Georgians and Georgia’s businesses. I appreciate the Governor for listening to families in our state and acknowledging that discrimination of any kind is not just bad for business, but that it is harmful to everyone.”
For more information on HB 757, please click here.
Representative Stacey Abrams represents the citizens of District 89, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 and currently serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and the Ethics, Judiciary Non-Civil, and Ways & Means committees. She also serves as an Ex-Officio member on the Rules committee.
Representative Taylor Bennett represents the citizens of District 80, which includes portions of DeKalb and Fulton counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2015, and currently serves on the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Judiciary, and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Park Cannon represents the citizens of District 58, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2016, and currently serves on the Code Revision, Human Relations & Aging, and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Karla Drenner represents the citizens of District 85, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2000, and currently serves on the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health & Human Services, Natural Resources & Environment, Rules, and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Stacey Evans represents the citizens of District 42, which includes portions of Cobb County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, and currently serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Interstate Cooperation, Judiciary, Juvenile Justice, and Rules committees.
Representative Nikki Randall represents the citizens of District 142, which includes portions of Bibb County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 1998, and currently serves on the Health & Human Services, Information & Audits, Insurance, and Judiciary Non-Civil committees.
Representative Keisha Waites represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves on the Interstate Cooperation, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety & Homeland Security, Special Rules, and Transportation committees.
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