Indiana’s ‘Religious Freedom Act’ Fallout

31 Mar, 2015

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence urged lawmakers Tuesday to send a bill to his desk by the end of the week to clarify the intent of a new law that critics fear could permit discrimination against gays and lesbians.

Pence’s move to quell a backlash over the law comes as Arkansas lawmakers defied criticism to pass similar legislation. A look at the latest developments:

WHAT THE LAWS SAY

The Indiana law, which takes effect July 1, does not specifically mention gays and lesbians, but opponents say it is designed to protect businesses and individuals who do not want to serve gays and lesbians, such as florists or caterers who might be hired for a same-sex wedding.

The law prohibits state laws that “substantially burden” a person’s ability to follow his or her religious beliefs unless the government can show that it has a compelling interest and that the action is the least restrictive means of achieving it. The definition of “person” includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.

Critics say that language is broader than a 1993 federal law signed by then-President Bill Clinton that Pence says it’s based on.

Twenty states now have similar laws in place.

Pence said Tuesday he stands by the law but acknowledged that Indiana has a “perception problem.” He said he has been meeting with lawmakers and business leaders “around the clock” to address concerns that the Indiana bill would allow discrimination against gays and lesbians.

The governor called for legislation addressing those issues by the end of the week, and Republican leaders said they were working on language.

Arkansas lawmakers said they would not modify their state’s measure despite opponents’ calls to do so.

Many Indiana businesses are trying to counter the negative attention by posting signs or stickers saying they serve everyone. But the state has already lost a union conference planned for October worth an estimated $500,000, and other businesses say they are curbing travel to the state.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the Indiana law is “a much more open-ended piece of legislation” than the 1993 federal law and “flies in the face of the kinds of values that people all across the country strongly support.”

AP

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