Netflix threatens to leave Georgia if the religious freedom bill passes.
Netflix is the latest company to promise to leave Georgia and boycott their film industry, if the Gov. Nathan Deal signs the religious freedom bill.
According to Deadline, Netflix is following behind CBS, Disney and Warner Bros. who have expressed their widespread disapproval the past few days. From Deadline:
“Netflix is an inclusive company,” a Netflix spokesperson said Thursday afternoon. “We recently completed two films and a series in Georgia and had planned on filming two series there in the coming months. Should any legislation allowing discriminatory practice be signed into state law, we will move our productions elsewhere.”
Should any legislation allowing discriminatory practice be signed into state law, we will move our productions elsewhere.”
The bill, which is called the Free Exercise Protection Act, says no faith-based organization “Shall be required to provide social, educational or charitable services that violate such faith-based organizations sincerely held religious belief.” In addition, organizations cannot be forced to “hire or retain as an employee any person whose religious beliefs or practices or lack of either are not in accord with the faith-based organizations sincerely held religious belief.”
Georgia currently has the third-largest film industry in America. 800 movies and TV shows, 30,000-plus workers, and an economic impact of close to $5.1 billion in 2014. This will have a major impact on the Governor's decision.
