June 26, 2015 12:20 PM

After gay marriage ruling, Gov. Abbott instructs state agencies to prioritize religious liberty

"This order applies to any agency decision, including but not limited to granting or denying benefits, managing agency employees, entering or enforcing agency contracts, licensing and permitting decisions, or enforcing state laws and regulations."

Soon after the United States Supreme Court ruled Friday morning that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a memo to the heads of all state agencies saying that they need to prioritize Texans' religious liberty and First Amendment rights.

"Texans of all faiths must be absolutely secure in the knowledge that their religious freedom is beyond the reach of government,” he said, adding that “Renewing and reinforcing that promise is all the more important in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.”

"The government must never pressure a person to abandon or violate his or her sincerely held religious beliefs regarding a topic such as marriage,” Abbott said. "That sort of religious coercion will never be a 'compelling governmental interest,' and it will never be 'the least restrictive means of furthering that interest.'"

By Scott Braddock