ST. PAUL, MN – The Governor of Mississippi and its State Legislature
have enacted legislation that allows businesses, individual government employees, and other organizations to decline to provide services to people based on their sexual orientation. Governor Mark Dayton today instructed all state employees to refrain from any non-essential travel to Mississippi until the law is repealed.
Today’s action from Governor Dayton follows
a similar order issued Saturday, instructing state employees to refrain from non-essential travel to North Carolina, following the enactment of discriminatory laws in that state.
The following is a statement from Governor Mark Dayton:
“This act of discrimination is discriminatory against many Mississippi residents, and violates their Constitutional rights. We cannot allow this injustice to go unanswered. When the rights of some Americans are threatened, it is the responsibility of all Americans to stand in opposition to those discriminatory acts.
“Minnesota has made great progress to protect the rights and dignity of all people in our state. Now, we will do what we can as Minnesotans, to support and defend the rights of others.”
The following is a statement from Lt. Governor Tina Smith:
“The discriminatory laws passed in North Carolina and Mississippi are not who we are. The Mississippi law undoes years of progress protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination.
“I strongly support the Governor’s decision to discourage travel to Mississippi until these discriminatory laws are repealed."
Attached are: 1) /governor/assets/2016_04_02_governor_letter_travel_to_north_carolina_tcm1055-202789.pdfa letter from Governor Dayton to all state employees regarding travel to North Carolina; and 2)
a memo from MMB Commissioner Myron Frans.