Legislators in the US state of Georgia have voted to remove jet fuel sales tax exemption from a tax bill that would have benefitted Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) to the tune of USD38 million.

The move comes after the carrier, along with United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare), last week terminated their respective ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the aftermath of 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz's shooting spree at Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida, which left 17 fellow pupils dead. In Delta's case, it ended a one-time group travel discount for the NRA’s annual meeting and asked the organization to remove the airline's name and logo from their website.

According to The Associated Press (AP), the Bill passed both chambers with "large margins" and is now before Governor Nathan Deal who has indicated he will now sign the bill into law.

Georgia's Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle (R), who is also running for governor, has since threatened additional punitive measures against Delta.

"I will kill any tax legislation that benefits Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with NRA," he said via Twitter. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back."

Delta CEO Ed Bastian has since told employees that the decision had been taken following the NRA’s controversial statements made after the recent school shootings in Florida. As such, the termination of ties with the NRA was to remove Delta from the debate.

“While Delta’s intent was to remain neutral, some elected officials in Georgia tied our decision to a pending jet fuel tax exemption, threatening to eliminate it unless we reversed course,” Bastian said in a letter seen by Reuters. “Our decision was not made for economic gain and our values are not for sale."

The CEO added that Delta is in the process of reviewing discounts for "any group of a politically divisive nature" with a view to terminating them.