Lawmakers in Louisiana have rejected a state employee health plan because it includes workplace protections for LGBT employees.

Rep. Cameron Henry (R-Metarie), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said a deal wouldn't be approved until the nondiscrimination clause was taken out.

"If you bring that contract back again, and it has the same language that it does now, we are going to have the same problems. It's not going to get any better the next time you come back."

The contract, with Vantage Health Plan, Inc., affects some 10,000 state employees and their families.

Opponents like Jack McFarland (R-Jackson) claim the wording would create a "protected class"—even though, by law, all contracts in Louisiana must already protect people from discrimination based on race, gender, religion or political views.

Vantage doesn't have an issue with protecting LGBT workers—a rep told the Times-Picayune "we've never discriminated against anyone and we never will. That's not who we are or what we do."

Governor John Bel Edwards has called legislators irresponsible for putting workers' medical care in jeopardy.

"Rep. Henry's dangerous approach to this issue could leave thousands of hardworking state employees without their health insurance," said a spokesperson for the governor on Friday.

"He's merely grandstanding, yet again, to push a partisan, political agenda."

Edwards has been butting heads with state Republicans ever since he ordered state contracts had to include LGBT workplace protections.

Attorney General Jeff Landry has since blocked dozens of state contracts from moving forward because of the LGBT wording. He is now suing Edwards to have the executive order voided.

Louisiana's Office of Group Benefits says it has secured an extension on the original December 1 deadline to ensure no one loses their benefits for now.

Ironically Edwards' order has no bearing on the plans themselves, which don't cover trans-related health care, PrEP or other LGBT-specific services.