Sports and entertainment industry voices are speaking out against SB 375, a bill that would allow taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBT youth and same-sex couples.

Immediately after last Friday’s Senate vote to advance the bill to the House, producers Ben Wexler and Dustin Lance Black called on the entertainment industry to reconsider its investment in Georgia if SB 375 is signed into law. “Walking Dead” actor Daniel Newman has echoed these calls, and plans to participate in today’s scheduled rally against SB 375 at 1PM.

Georgia’s Department of Economic Development estimates the film and TV industry’s economic footprint grew to $9.5 billion last year, including $2.7 billion in direct spending.

This economic threat is why the Atlanta Metro Chamber and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce oppose SB 375, as does Atlanta-based First Data, which is one of the world’s largest electronic payment processors and is valued at more than $11 billion.

Prominent athletes have also registered their disapproval of SB 375, raising fears that the larger sports industry could soon make a move to re-examine its investment in Georgia.

The Atlanta Dream’s Layshia Clarendon says “it’s heartbreaking to see that Georgia is attempting to put restrictions on same-sex parental adoption.” Layshia also says she and her wife can’t “live and thrive” in a place that puts restrictions on their ability to build a family.

Olympic diving icon Greg Louganis, who is adopted, called the bill “appalling.” Louganis says his parents’ “love and commitment to raising me helped fuel my success in sports,” and that SB 375 will keep children from finding that same parental love.

One of proponents’ main arguments is that SB 375 will allow more adoption agencies to operate in Georgia, but child welfare agencies like Emory University’s Barton Child Law and Policy Center say that children will actually wait longer for loving homes if qualified LGBT parents are excluded.

LGBT youth could suffer most, since SB 375 would allow agencies to refuse to help place them.

All of this is why we must work overtime to stop SB 375 until the legislative session ends on March 31.

Email, call and tweet at your lawmaker right now to make sure they know just how much this bill could harm Georgia’s youth, families and economy.

Legislation singling out LGBTQ families for harm could imperil Atlanta’s standing in Amazon’s HQ2 search

ATLANTA – Lawmakers in the Georgia Senate have advanced SB 375, an anti-LGBT “License to Discriminate” bill, by a 35-19 vote. The legislation would allow taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to turn away same-sex couples and even refuse to work with children in need who identify as LGBT. The discriminatory bill stands to impact the approximately 14,000 children in the state’s foster and child welfare system.

“This is mean-spirited legislation that hurts Georgia’s families, does an incredible disservice to the thousands of children in the state foster care system, and really threatens our ability to attract vibrant businesses that strengthen our communities – like Amazon,” said Jeff Graham, Georgia Equality’s Executive Director. “Placing children in loving, stable homes should be a top priority for lawmakers. Unfortunately, SB 375 makes it harder than ever before to protect and secure vibrant futures for the 14,000 kids in our state’s child welfare system.”

Businesses across the state have spoken out increasingly against the legislation, warning that hostile bills like SB 375 will impact Georgia’s ability to attract new investments from corporations like Amazon. It’s estimated that upwards of 50,000 new and high-paying jobs will be created in the state where the tech giant ultimately puts down roots for its HQ2.

Both the Atlanta Metro Chamber and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce oppose the legislation, noting that “Legislation that sanctions discrimination takes us further away from our goal of attracting investment that would improve the lives of Georgia families.” Global commerce giant First Data also is warning against the legislation, saying SB 375 “violates our core belief that all Americans deserve to be treated equally and respectfully.”

“We urge Governor Deal and Speaker Ralston to consider what types of policies make Georgia a prosperous place to live and an attractive place to do business – we know from past experiences that bills like SB 375 take us in exactly the wrong direction,” added Graham. “Rather than talking about ways to exclude all Georgians from participating fully in society, we should be talking about what we can do to ensure every single person in our state – including both people of faith and gay and transgender people – are fully protected from the type of discrimination SB 375 promotes.”