Deal to veto religious freedom bill, reports say

ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal today said he would veto a controversial religious freedom legislation, according to multiple reports.

Proponents say House Bill 757 would have protected faith-based companies’ and organizations’ religious freedoms by giving them the right to deny services to gay and lesbian couples. Opponents said the measure would legalize discrimination.

Deal’s decision comes after several high-profile corporations said they would no longer do business in the state. Among them is Disney, which in unrelated moves is using legal means to hire non-citizens to do work at Walt Disney World in Florida, according to numerous reports.