(AP) Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will be honored by an LGBT business group for his advocacy on gay rights issues.

The Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce will present Ballard with a plaque at a June 1 ceremony. The group praises Ballard for embracing diversity and opposing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Indiana residents.

Ballard was a vocal opponent of a religious objections law signed by Gov. Mike Pence last year, which provoked a strong national backlash that pressured lawmakers to make changes.

The former Republican mayor was succeeded by Democrat Joe Hogsett in January.