“Indiana Gov. Mike Pence vigorously defended the state religious objections bill that he signed into law Thursday as businesses and organizations including the NCAA pressed concerns that it could open the door to legalizing discrimination against gay people,” Tom Davies reports for The Associated Press. “The state became the first to enact such a change this year among about a dozen where such proposals have been introduced. Arkansas’ governor said Thursday he supported a similar bill that’s advancing in that state’s Legislature.”
“Pence, a Republican mulling a possible 2016 presidential campaign, signed the bill privately in his office with at least a couple dozen supporters on hand. He later met with reporters and refuted arguments from opponents that law would threaten civil rights laws by saying that hasn’t happened under the federal religious freedom law Congress passed in 1993 and similar laws in 19 other states,” Davies reports. “‘There has been a lot of misunderstanding about this bill,’ Pence said. ‘This bill is not about discrimination, and if I thought it legalized discrimination in any way I would’ve vetoed it.'”
“Soon after Pence signed the bill, Salesforce.com founder and CEO Marc Benioff announced on Twitter that he was canceling all programs that require its customers or employees ‘to travel to Indiana to face discrimination,'” Davies reports. “Conservative groups backing the bill have said it merely seeks to prevent the government from compelling people to provide such things as catering or photography for same-sex weddings or other activities they find objectionable on religious grounds.”
“Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter praised the new law, saying it would give abortion opponents legal recourse if they are pressured to support the procedure. The organization circulated an online petition to thank Pence for signing the bill,” Davies reports. “Pence pointed out that President Barack Obama voted in favor of a similar state law while he was an Illinois legislator.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who identified himself as a homosexual in an October 2014 Businessweek op-ed, tweeted today:
Apple is open for everyone. We are deeply disappointed in Indiana's new law and calling on Arkansas Gov. to veto the similar #HB1228.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 27, 2015
Indiana Governor Mike Pence tweeted:
I signed SEA 101 today to ensure religious liberty is fully protected under IN law http://t.co/vCOASZBZnH pic.twitter.com/CMFJh6aLDx
— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) March 26, 2015
Micah Clark of the American Family Association of Indiana tweeted:
SB 101 #RFRA is now law. Want to thank @GovPenceIN for standing firm for #ReligiousFreedom pic.twitter.com/Boioi4Jhxs
— AFA-IN (@AFAofIndiana) March 26, 2015
Read more in the full article here.
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