The Latest: People 'duped' by law, attorney general says

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says he doesn't know if his office will appeal a federal judge's ruling that blocked a state law dealing with religious objections to gay marriage.

Hood is the only Democrat in statewide office, and his staff had defended the law that was passed by the Republican-majority Legislature and signed by a Republican governor.

Hood says an appeal could cost tens of thousands of dollars, and that might not be a good use of tax dollars when the state budget is tight and services such as mental health care are being cut.

An ordained United Methodist minister who sued to block a Mississippi law dealing with religious objections to same-sex marriage says the law doesn't represent the beliefs of her or many others.

House Speaker Philip Gunn, a Republican, said Friday that he and other sponsors thought it was "a good bill that focused on protecting religious beliefs, while also protecting the rights of the LGBT community."

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says he's disappointed by a federal judge's ruling that blocks a law that would let merchants and government employees cite religious beliefs to deny or delay services to same-sex couples.

A federal judge has blocked a Mississippi law that would let merchants and government employees cite religious beliefs to deny or delay services to same-sex couples.