With Gov. Mike Pence signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and some people aren’t too happy about it. (see Pence Signs SEA 101 In Private Ceremony)
The bill stirred up some controversy as it made it’s way through Indiana’s legislature due to speculation that the bill would legalize discrimination, especially against the LGBT community.
“I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, because I support the freedom of religion for every Hoosier of every faith,” Pence stated following the signing. “This bill is not about discrimination, and if I thought it legalized discrimination in any way in Indiana, I would have vetoed it.
“In fact, it does not even apply to disputes between private parties unless government action is involved,” he continued. “For more than 22, the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act has never undermined our nation’s anti-discrimination laws, and it will not in Indiana.”
At the Third House Session in Warsaw today, Rep. Curt Nisly, a co-sponsor of the bill, explained that the bill is designed to guide courts in issues regarding religious freedom. Additionally, 30 other U.S. states have a similar law or judicial code. However, Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act is still receiving criticism, not just within the Hoosier state, but all over the country.
With the NCAA Final Four tournament coming to Lucas Oil Stadium next weekend, and the women’s NCAA Final Four slated for next year in Indianapolis, NCAA President Mark Emmert issued the following statement:
“The NCAA national office and our members are deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment for all our events. We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees. We will work diligently to assure student-athletes competing in, and visitors attending, next week’s Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis are not impacted negatively by this bill. Moving forward, we intend to closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce.”
Knowing that a high-profile event such as the NCAA Final Four will likely draw a number of out-of-state travelers, GetEQUAL issued a travel advisory warning visitors that they may be “refused service in public spaces, asked to leave businesses, or even be denied medical care if their identity could be seen as objectionable under any religious tenets.”
There was some fear that there would be negative economic repercussions as a result of the bill. Edwin Lee, the mayor of San Francisco, issued the following statement today:
“We stand united as San Franciscans to condemn Indiana’s new discriminatory law, and will work together to protect the civil rights of all Americans including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
Effective immediately, I am directing city departments under my authority to bar any publicly-funded city employee travel to the State of Indiana that is not absolutely essential to public health and safety. San Francisco taxpayers will not subsidize legally-sanctioned discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people by the State of Indiana.”
Earlier this month, organizer’s of Gen Con, an annual gaming convention and one of the largest events held in Indiana, threatened to take the convention elsewhere. At time of posting, Gen Con has committed to honoring contracts through 2020, but Gen Con CEO Adrian Swartout stated in a letter that “discussion whether to remain in Indy or move elsewhere, have begun.” [sic]
Furthermore, the president of the Indy Chamber of Commerce, Michael Huber, stated that the chamber remains opposed to the legislation. “In our February testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, we warned of the impending negative economic impact this legislation would have on our ability to attract and retain jobs, talent, and investment, noting the bill will encourage current and potential residents, and visitors to take their business elsewhere,” he said. “Within moments of this legislation being signed, this warning became a stark reality.”
On social media criticism has come in from business leaders and socially-conscious celebrities (have a look at Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff’s twitter feed). An online petition to recall Pence has even been started and garnered more than 70,000 signatures at time of posting.
Of course not all responses have been negative. Grace College President Bill Katip was in attendance at the bill’s signing ceremony, and the Indiana Senate Republican Caucus issued a statement yesterday affirming its continued support of the bill.