Tech company to leave Georgia after religious freedom bill passed

ATLANTA — One local company says it's moving its headquarters out of Georgia. The controversial religious freedom bill passed in the state Senate Friday, and a Decatur telecom startup is calling the legislation discriminatory to gays and lesbians.

The co-founder of 373K, Kelvin Williams, wants to prevent the company's tax dollars from supporting a state that he believes encourages discrimination.

"That's just something that we can't live with," Williams said.

Republican State Senator Greg Kirk sponsored the bill that combines the Pastor Protection Act and the so-called First Amendment Defense Act.

"The legislation is about equal protection and not discrimination," Kirk said.

The senator from Americus says it gives faith-based organizations like adoption agencies the right to refuse services to gay or lesbian couples.

It would also protect pastors from having to marry same sex couples.

The Faith and Freedom Coalition of Georgia supports the measures.

"It protects people's conscious, and it protects their religious practice," Faith and Freedom Coalition of Georgia Executive Director Dave Baker said. "It makes sure no one would be forced by government to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs."

State Rep. John Lewis disagrees with the legislation.

"We must recognize and respect the dignity and the worth of every human being. We all are children of God," Lewis said.

Williams says his diverse co-workers, gay and straight, support the company's move to Nevada.

"It's time to check your calendars. It's 2016. This is not the world that we need to have anymore," Williams said. "We need to be about inclusion of people from all different walks of life."

WSBTV