One day after launching an exploratory committee to help him decide whether to seek the GOP’s presidential nomination in 2016, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal issued an executive order enforcing so-called “religious freedom” protections in the Bayou State. Hours earlier, state lawmakers killed a law that would have mandated similar provisions.
“In Louisiana, the state should not be able to take adverse action against a person for their belief in traditional marriage,” Jindal said in a written statement Tuesday. “That’s why I’m issuing an Executive Order to prevent the state from discriminating against people, charities and family-owned businesses with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman.”
Similar bills have sparked intense controversy around the country. While proponents insist the laws add another layer of protection against government interference in people’s religious beliefs, critics warn they serve as a cudgel to undermine hard-won LGBT protections.
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A Gallup poll released Tuesday shows that support for same-sex marriage is at an all-time high in the United States with 60% of Americans supporting marriage equality.
The same cannot be said for Jindal. A poll of 600 likely voters, taken last week by Southern Media & Opinion Research, shows that “Jindal’s job performance rating is at an all time low. He receives a 31.8% positive job performance rating from Louisiana voters.”
The United States Supreme Court, meanwhile, is set to rule on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in the coming weeks.
Additional reporting by msnbc’s Emma Margolin.
Rachel Kleinman