[Updated March 29]
From Freedom Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Late March 28, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence told the Indianapolis Star that he will introduce legislation to "clarify" Senate Bill 101, the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act he signed into law this week.
See www.indystar.com/story/opinion/columnists/tim-swarens/2015/03/28/swarens-gov-mike-pence-push-clarification-religious-freedom-law/70611906/ .
The law, the first of its kind to be signed following the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision, has sparked statewide and national backlash from business executives, athletes, celebrities and others as Indianapolis prepares to host the Final Four next weekend.
Angie's List, a publicly traded tech company located in Indianapolis, announced it would not pursue a headquarters expansion that would add 1,000 jobs because of the law.
Freedom Indiana campaign manager Katie Blair issued the following statement in response to the Governor's announcement:
"Gov. Pence didn't listen last week when he signed this discriminatory law into effect, and he's still not listening to the growing chorus of criticism locally and nationally. While we appreciate his recognition that he's placed our state in peril, he's obviously trying to have it both ways.
"You can't 'clarify' discrimination. Indiana now has billions of dollars and thousands of jobs on the line, all because the Governor wouldn't stop this dangerous bill. He has a second chance to save our reputation for Hoosier hospitality, but he has to stand up and protect LGBT Hoosiers.
"Discrimination is not a core Hoosier value, and we can't afford to let our state continue to suffer. Please, Governor, listen to the voices of common sense and reason trying to get through to you. Fix the bill to protect all Hoosiers, and make it clear our state is open for business again."
Freedom Indiana is a grassroots organization of more than 60,000 Hoosiers committed to fighting Senate Bill 101. Last year, the group successfully pushed back Indiana's constitutional marriage amendment.
From Lambda Legal
( Indianapolis, IN, March 29, 2015 ) —Despite an increasing public outcry condemning SB 101, in an appearance on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos this morning Indiana Gov. Mike Pence defended the law which is designed to allow businesses, organizations and individuals to discriminate against anyone in Indiana on religious grounds. Jennifer Pizer, National Director of Lambda Legal's Law and Policy Project, issued the following statement:
"Governor Pence continues to deceive the public about this deeply flawed law. Let's clarify a few things.
"Gov. Pence myth: SB 101 is just like Illinois law that then-State Senator Obama voted to support.
"Truth: Gov. Pence fails to point out that Illinois has robust nondiscrimination clauses in its state Human Rights Act that specifically protect LGBT people. Indiana does not. This matters because those seeking to discriminate in Indiana may claim that the lack of a statewide law barring sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination means that there is no compelling state interest in enforcing local ordinances providing such protections.
Gov. Pence myth: This law only reinforces established law in Indiana.
Truth: The language in SB 101 is so broadly written that someone can sue even without their religious beliefs having actually been burdened simply by claiming that is "likely" to happen.
"Gov. Pence myth: SB101 is just like federal law that President Clinton signed 20 years ago.
"Truth: SB 101 is substantially broader than the federal law. The federal RFRA can only be invoked against government action. SB 101 goes much further, inviting discrimination by allowing religious beliefs to be raised as a defense in lawsuits and administrative proceedings brought by workers, tenants and customers who have suffered discrimination. In addition, SB 101 makes it easier to claim a burden on religious freedom than the federal RFRA by defining the "exercise of religion" as "any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief."
"If Governor Pence meant it when he said that SB101 isn't intended to allow discrimination against LGBT people, then why were amendments designed to make that explicit repeatedly rejected during the legislative process? If he truly means what he says, then he and the legislature should work together to add this language: 'This chapter does not establish or eliminate a defense to a claim under any federal, state or local law protecting civil rights or preventing discrimination.' And the Indiana government should include gay and transgender people within Indiana's protections from discrimination."
