The Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed Thursday that a Phoenix law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination is constitutional and that local wedding vendors must serve same-sex couples.

The decision comes just days after the Supreme Court weighed in on a similar lawsuit out of Colorado with a narrow ruling that left many legal questions unanswered.

The Arizona decision, however, thoroughly addressed the First Amendment arguments made by local wedding invitation designers who wanted to quash the city's ordinance — and rejected them.

"We recognize that a law allowing Appellants to refuse service to customers based on sexual orientation would constitute 'grave and continuing harm,'" Presiding Judge Lawrence F. Winthrop wrote in the opinion of the court.

Phoenix has had a nondiscrimination ordinance on the books since 1964, but the City Council expanded it to protect against sexual orientation and gender identity bias in 2013. The ordinance bans discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations, including privately owned businesses. Business owners and individuals who don’t comply can face criminal prosecution and a misdemeanor charge, with each violation punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine. Read more via AZ Central