Hawaii Supreme Court sides with lesbian couple in B&B case

HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii appeals court ruling that a bed and breakfast discriminated against a couple by denying a room to two women because they're gay will stand after the state's high court declined to take up the case.

Aloha Bed & Breakfast owner Phyllis Young had argued she should be allowed to turn away gay couples because of her religious beliefs.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Young's appeal of a lower court ruling that ordered her to stop discriminating against same-sex couples.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian law firm that is representing Young, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lambda Legal Senior Attorney Peter Renn says the decision indicates that the government continues to have the power to protect people from the harms of discrimination, including when it's motivated by religion.

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