“This outrageous and discriminatory legislation is an affront to the values we all share”. They could also deny use of their facilities for events they found “objectionable”. The bill would also allow public officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages.
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“Viacom is proud to champion diversity and acceptance, which are core values of our company”, a company spokesperson said in the Hollywood Reporter.
As you know, Atlanta is often referred to as the Hollywood of the South. During the last fiscal year, at least 248 films and television productions were shot in Georgia, adding at least $1.7 billion in direct spending to the state’s economy. And Disney and Marvel Studios might fly their next superhero movie off to film in another state. Georgia offers great tax incentives to film companies.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is now filming outside of Atlanta, and Captain America: Civil War filmed in Georgia past year as well. Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games franchise was filmed in and around Atlanta.
In the past, Republican Governor Nathan Deal has vowed to veto any piece of legislation that legalizes discrimination.
In 2014, Georgia was the fifth largest production center in the world (trailing only California, New York, the United Kingdom, and Canada).
AMC Networks took a stand against the legislation on Wednesday as well, saying it “believes that discrimination of any kind is reprehensible” and urged Deal to reject the bill.
State Senator Greg Kirk is a sponsor of the bill and says the bill would protect faith-based organizations from backlash for providing services exclusively to “traditional couples”.
Proponents of the measure say it merely defends religious rights.
The corporations did not say they would leave the state, as others have done.
“All Georgia citizens, organizations and businesses need protection from adverse legislation that would infringe upon their religious beliefs regarding marriage, defined in the Bible as the union of one man and one woman”, J. Robert White, executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, said in a statement last month, urging passage of an earlier version of the measure. It will have a very negative impact on the families of Georgia.
But gay-rights advocates blasted the bill as discriminatory. They said the Religious Liberty bill is a slap in their face.
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In the past 24 hours, Disney, Marvel, and Time Warner became the latest companies to issue disapprovals about the bill. “We call on Governor Deal to exercise his veto power”, reads a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
