INDIANAPOLIS — Freedom Indiana, the grassroots organization that is pushing for statewide anti-discrimination protections for LGBT Hoosiers, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Mike Pence's comments at the Indiana Republican Party Spring Dinner this evening.
Pence formally announced he is running for re-election in 2016 and said he is open to continuing the conversation about updating state laws to prohibit discrimination based on orientation and gender identity.
Indiana's so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act ( RFRA ) caused national uproar earlier this year as a potential "license to discriminate" against LGBT Hoosiers. Lawmakers had to "fix" the RFRA legislation late in the session to calm the storm of negative publicity, and many leading that effort pledged to pursue anti-discrimination language in the 2016 session to make it clear that Indiana is a welcoming state.
Freedom Indiana campaign manager Katie Blair:
"It's encouraging that Governor Pence is willing to have a continued conversation about this issue and the fallout from RFRA, but it's clear that a majority of Hoosiers already support updating our laws to protect Hoosiers from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
"If the Governor is serious about making our state a welcoming place, it's time for action, and we'd love to have the Governor as our ally as we move forward in the 2016 legislative session.
"Solving the disastrous public perception problem created by RFRA may take years. Enacting anti-discrimination measures to protect LGBT Hoosiers could happen a few months from now. We're ready to make our case, and we hope the Governor will stand with us to make sure all Hoosiers are protected from discrimination."