Going against his fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory vowed to veto a proposed legislation giving judges the option not to perform same-sex marriages.
In a statement, McCrory said that while he recognizes opinions based on religious beliefs, government officials should always follow federal court rulings allowing same-sex marriages in his state.
"We are a nation and a state of laws... Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer, or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath," McCrory said.
The Republican-dominated North Carolina House of Representatives, via 67-43 vote, recently passed Senate Bill 2, allowing judges "to recuse from performing all lawful marriages" if they harbored "any sincerely held religious objection."
Voting 32-16, the Senate also approved the same bill, introduced by Senator Phil Berger, last February.
While the proposed law did not categorically state same-sex marriages, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups fear that the bill will target same-sex unions allowed by federal courts.
In a statement, Equality North Carolina Executive Director Chris Sgro described Senate Bill 2 as "discriminatory," further warning that the measure will "send a strong message that no public official is exempt from the Constitution they've sworn to uphold."
Supporters of the controversial bill argued, however, that the legislation will protect citizens' freedom to exercise religious beliefs.
"A majority of the people's elected representatives in both chambers agreed that this bill strikes an appropriate balance between the expansion of rights for some and our constitutionally protected freedom of religion," Senator Berger said.
Legislators can override the governor's veto by a three-fifths vote.
