This morning, North Carolina legislators in the GOP-controlled state House approved a measure that allows some court officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriage duties because of their religious beliefs.

House lawmakers agreed 69-41 to override Governor Pat McCrory’s veto of the bill, which the Senate had done last week​. The bill, now a law, allows magistrates and register of deeds workers the option to stop fulfilling their duties regarding gay marriages if they have “sincerely held religious” beliefs.

Once they seek an exemption from their duties, workers cannot perform any type of wedding for at least a six-month period. That inaction possibly could cause significant delays for couples wishing to marry.

It’s a dumb law, and I don’t know why it is important for NC to have, since I doubt any magistrate would feel right about causing six-month delays in ALL marriages.  More to the point, it is an unconstitutional law, and everybody knows it, so it just makes North Carolina look like a bunch of religious bigots.

UPDATE:  I did not know this —

Several magistrates resigned after being warned that their oath of office stipulated they officiate for any couple with a valid marriage license. Two of these former magistrateshave filed suit against the state, arguing that they resigned under duress. They claim that they should not be forced to choose between their job and their religious beliefs, even if their beliefs prohibit them from performing their job in a way that serves all citizens.